Seán Canney (Galway East, Independent)
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Last April, the Government agreed the administrative arrangements for a once-off Homeowners Voluntary Relocation Scheme for those primary residential properties that flooded during Winter 2015/2016. This is a national scheme of humanitarian assistance, targeting aid at those worst affected properties, for which there are no alternative feasible measures. This scheme will include a farmer’s primary residence where it meets the eligibility criteria.

My officials have been in contact with Local Authorities in relation to the initial identification of potentially eligible properties, and homeowners may also register their interest in the scheme with the OPW before 28 July 2017.

Further details regarding the Homeowners Voluntary Relocation Scheme, including the eligibility criteria, how homeowners can express an interest and the assessment process are available on the OPW website.

The Scheme, as agreed by Government, is for principal residences only and does not include the relocation of any businesses or farm enterprises. The Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine has indicated that the administrative arrangements for the Voluntary Homeowners Relocation Scheme will help it, along with its own records of aid provided to farmers in response to these floods, identify those farmyard buildings worst affected by the flooding during Winter 2015/2016. That department will contact and work with these individual farms to determine if there are any alternative remedial works to protect those farmyard buildings at risk. This approach will inform the feasibility of any future once-off targeted scheme for Voluntary Farm Building Relocation.