Catherine Murphy (Kildare North, Social Democrats)
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163. To ask the Minister for Finance if he is aware of anomalies in the property buildings insurance market where flood insurance is available to purchase by mortgage holders, management companies as block insurance and by private unmortgaged households in some areas but where insurance is not allowed by some voluntary housing bodies; the status of interdepartmental efforts to resolve the issue for householders; if there has been a recent change to flood risk mapping in residential areas; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [22033/16]

Catherine Murphy (Kildare North, Social Democrats)
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164. To ask the Minister for Finance if he will clarify the position in relation to the obligations of insurance compliances and their risk assessments to indicate flood risk mapping; the origination of this mapping and in cases of disputes where no proof from the lender was supplied to indicate that a property might be on a flood risk map listing; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [22034/16]

Catherine Murphy (Kildare North, Social Democrats)
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165. To ask the Minister for Finance the policy in respect of acceptance of registered insurance companies indicating that either a flood risk exists or that no flood risk exists in respect of domestic insurance policies and commercial insurance policies; the position relating to the same for management companies; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [22035/16]

Michael Noonan (Limerick City, Fine Gael)
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I propose to take Questions Nos. 163 to 165, inclusive, together.

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.

Government policy in relation to flooding is focused on the development of a sustainable, planned and risk-based approach to dealing with flooding problems, with a view to addressing the increased availability of flood insurance. 

To achieve this aim the OPW is carrying out assessments of 300 areas under the Catchment Flood Risk Assessment and Management (CFRAM) programme and each area will have a Flood Risk Management Plan (FRMP) by the end of 2016. Decisions on future investment in relation to flood risk management will be informed by the FRMPs.

This strategy is complemented by a Memorandum of Understanding between the OPW and Insurance Ireland which provides for the transfer by the OPW of data in relation to completed flood defence schemes to the insurance industry. 

An Inter-Departmental Flood Policy Co-ordination Group has been established to examine the issue of flooding, and to ensure a whole of Government approach in the area of Flood Policy. This Group is chaired by Seán Canney TD, Minister of State with special responsibility for the Office of Public Works and Flood Relief. The OPW are the lead agency and have responsibility for submitting the final report of the group to Government. Each Department on the Group will submit a report to the OPW dealing with policy issues in their own area with a view to directly improving preparation for and response to flooding or strategic policies which impact on people's risk and experience of flooding.  

As an input to the Inter-Departmental Group's work the Department of Finance has carried out 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 examined a number of policy options and has made a number of recommendations. The completed report has been provided to OPW to feed into the final report of the Inter-Departmental Group which is due to be presented to Government very shortly.

The first and most appropriate course of action for individuals who are experiencing difficulty in obtaining flood insurance and who believe that they are being treated unfairly, is to contact Insurance Ireland which operates a free Insurance Information Service for those who have queries, complaints or difficulties in relation to insurance.  This service can be contacted at (01) 676 1914 or by email at info@insuranceireland.eu.