Pearse Doherty (Donegal, Sinn Fein)
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129. To ask the Minister for Finance when he will report on the proposal to tackle the difficulty in some cases of acquiring flood insurance; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [16841/16]

Michael Noonan (Limerick City, Fine Gael)
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The provision of insurance cover is a commercial matter for insurance companies and is based on an assessment of the risks they are willing to accept and adequate provisioning to meet those risks. 

In my role as Minister for Finance, I have responsibility for the development of the legal framework governing financial regulation. Neither I, nor the Central Bank of Ireland, can interfere in the provision or pricing of insurance products or have the power to direct insurance companies to provide flood cover to specific individuals or businesses.

I am aware of the difficulties that the absence or withdrawal of flood insurance cover can cause to homeowners and the flooding crisis last winter has raised issues in relation to insurance and flooding. To examine the issue of flooding an Inter-Departmental Flood Policy Co-ordination Group has been established  to ensure a whole of Government approach in the area of Flood Policy. The OPW are the lead agency and have responsibility for submitting the final report of the group to Government. Each Department involved will submit a report to the OPW with policy proposals in their own area which can directly improve preparation and response to flooding or strategic policies which impact on people's risk and experience of dealing with flooding. 

The Department of Finance is actively engaged with the Inter-Departmental Flood Policy Co-ordination Group and will contribute to the report in the area of a review of flood insurance with a particular focus on the strategies that other jurisdictions have implemented to increase the availability of flood insurance cover. This work is examining a number of policy options and within the coming weeks will feed into the final report of the Inter-Departmental Group, chaired by Seán Canney TD, Minister of State with special responsibility for the Office of Public Works and Flood Relief.