Written answers

Tuesday, 20 February 2018

Department of Public Expenditure and Reform

Homeowners Voluntary Relocation Scheme Data

Photo of Peter BurkePeter Burke (Longford-Westmeath, Fine Gael)
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160. To ask the Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform the number of persons that applied for the voluntary homeowners relocation scheme in 2017 in County Roscommon; the number of applications that were successful; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [8589/18]

Photo of Kevin  MoranKevin Moran (Longford-Westmeath, Independent)
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On April 11th 2017, the Government agreed the administrative arrangements for a once-off Voluntary Homeowners Relocation Scheme for those primary residential properties that flooded between 4th December, 2015 and 13th January, 2016. This is a national scheme of humanitarian assistance, targeting aid at those worst affected properties, for which there are no alternative feasible measures.

The Government decision confirmed that a homeowner had to meet a number of conditions to be eligible for assistance under this scheme, including:

- That floodwater entered and damaged the building during the relevant dates such as to render it uninhabitable.

- That the property was the homeowner’s primary residence at the time of the floods.

- That the affected property must have a significant probability of the recurrence of the flood depth, duration or frequency on a scale that could cause further serious and similar damage to the home.

- That the property is not due to or may not benefit from a planned or possible future major, minor or individual flood defence scheme.

- That the property may not be protected adequately from being flooded in the future, at an economically feasible cost, through other flood mitigation works including minor works, individual property protection or other possible measures that can be considered at this time.

- That the homeowner is unable to obtain flood risk insurance.

The OPW is working with each of the Local Authorities, using their extensive and detailed local knowledge, to consider if homes that have been flooded during the event may benefit from a known or possible engineering solution. A total of 75 homes are currently under consideration in this category.

Where it has been established that there is no viable engineering solution at this stage, the Local Authorities have contacted homeowners known to have flooded during the period in question, asking them to make contact with the OPW for information on the Scheme and they are given an opportunity to formally create an Expression of Interest.

In addition, homeowners had the opportunity to express an interest in the Scheme directly with the Office of Public Works, before 28th July 2017. To date, a total of 77 expressions of interest have been received by the OPW.

All Expressions of Interest are assessed at Stage 1 to determine whether or not the home meets all of the criteria for eligibility to the Scheme. Those homes that meet the criteria are invited to a meeting following which they may be requested to make an application form to progress for consideration at Stage 2 of the process. Where they do not meet the criteria, homeowners are notified that their home will receive no further consideration for the Scheme.

The numbers of homes within the process are changing regularly as homeowners make contact with the OPW and as assessments completed. The most up-to-date position is as follows:

- The OPW met with 8 homeowners in December 2017.

- A further 17 homeowners have confirmed attendance at meetings with the OPW, commencing during the week beginning 19th February, 2018.

Given that the overall number of homes currently under consideration for the Scheme is relatively low, there is a possibility that individual homeowners could be identified by providing data on a County level. In the event that numbers drop as the process evolves, there will be an even greater risk of identifying individual homeowners associated with this process. For that reason, it is not possible to provide figures at County level as requested by the Deputy.

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