Written answers

Thursday, 25 May 2017

Department of Public Expenditure and Reform

Flood Risk Assessments

Photo of Joan CollinsJoan Collins (Dublin South Central, Independent)
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163. To ask the Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform if an address (details supplied) is mapped as a flood risk area; his views on the situation whereby persons cannot get insurance for a home they are looking to buy in these circumstances; and the options available for the persons involved. [25192/17]

Photo of Seán CanneySeán Canney (Galway East, Independent)
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The Commissioners of Public Works in Ireland are developing Flood Maps as part of the Catchment Flood Risk Assessment and Management (CFRAM) Programme and in accordance with the requirements set out in the EU Floods Directive (2007/60/EC). The CFRAM Programme is focusing on 300 areas, including this area - called Areas for Further Assessment (AFAs) - that were designated in 2012 as being at potentially significant future risk from flooding.

The OPW is over the coming months finalising the Flood Risk Management Plans that will include the final Flood Maps for the 300 AFAs and will be submitted to the Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform for his approval. While the OPW Flood Maps do not designate individual properties as being at risk, the draft CFRAM flood extent mapping to date shows flooding along areas of Shannon Terrace predicted to occur in the 10%, 1% and 0.1% AEP events.

While the Minister for Finance has overall responsibility for the Government’s flood insurance policy, to assist insurance companies assess the risk and take into account the protection provided by completed OPW flood defence schemes, the OPW has a Memorandum of Understanding with Insurance Ireland, the representative body of the insurance industry. This Memorandum sets out principles of how the two organisations work together to ensure that appropriate and relevant information on these completed schemes is provided to insurers to facilitate, to the greatest extent possible, the availability to the public of insurance against the risk of flooding. Insurance Ireland members have committed to take into account all information provided by OPW when assessing exposure to flood risk within these protected areas. To date OPW has provided details to Insurance Ireland on 17 completed schemes nationally and Insurance Ireland has advised that flood insurance cover is included in 83% of policies in these defended areas. The OPW has recently provided details on a further completed scheme to Insurance Ireland.

The decision on whether to offer insurance, level of premiums charged and the policy terms applied are matters for individual insurers. Insurance companies make commercial decisions on the provision of insurance cover based on their assessment of the risks they would be accepting on a case-by-case basis.

The insurance industry has its own flood modelling tools for assessing the level of risk to individual properties and it has highlighted to the OPW that it does not use the OPW Flood Maps to inform its flood modelling.

Any person with an insurance-related query or complaint can contact Insurance Ireland's Insurance Information Service (01 676 1914 or iis@insuranceireland.eu). In addition, the Financial Services Ombudsman (1890 88 20 90) deals independently with unresolved complaints from consumers about their individual dealings with all financial service providers.

Following the severe flood events in Dublin of October 2011, the Camac catchment in the Eastern CFRAM, in which Kilmainham is situated, was accelerated through the process outlined above. While no overall cost-beneficial solution was found for the Camac catchment within the CFRAM study, OPW proposed to Dublin City Council (DCC) that DCC lead on a study to investigate whether viable options exist for more localised areas within the Camac catchment. This study is now being progressed by DCC and South Dublin County Council with assistance and funding provided by OPW.

In addition to this study, significant remedial flood works were carried out by DCC in 2014 on the Camac in Kilmainham under the Minor Flood Relief Works and Coastal Protection Scheme. This work consisted of the construction of almost 100 metres of new reinforced flood defence walls and the strengthening of existing walls at the rear of properties in Kilmainham. This work has provided a high level of protection against flooding to the properties in this area.

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