Niall Collins (Limerick County, Fianna Fail)
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249. To ask the Minister for Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation the funding supports she will make available to companies and SMEs whose premises and trade were severely damaged by Storm Emma; and if State agencies under her remit have been deployed to advise on supports available. [11609/18]

Heather Humphreys (Cavan-Monaghan, Fine Gael)
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From a business and enterprise perspective, I welcome that the overall situation across the country continues to improve, with a gradual thaw well advanced in most areas. I welcome also that all motorways and national roads are open and that all public transport services are operating with a small number of diversions or curtailments. Local Authority Crisis Management Teams have now been stood down in the majority of counties reflecting the improved conditions.

Every arm of Government, all Departments and Agencies in the different sectors, have been actively managing issues within their remit related to this severe weather, and will continue to do so as required.

As is now established practice after such severe weather events, the Minister for Housing, Planning and Local Government has signalled the Government’s intention to fund local authorities for the exceptional and unbudgeted costs incurred in necessary immediate works associated with significant severe weather emergency events.

Additionally, each Department is being requested to quantify, in so far as this is possible at this stage, the estimates for loss and damage incurred within their sector. Departments are to liaise directly with the local authorities and other relevant agencies in relation to funding necessary repairs and restoration through current or capital allocations as appropriate.

In relation to damage to buildings and property which has been caused by the snow and wind, our advice is that people should in the first instance get in touch with their insurance companies. Businesses that suffer damage to stock or loss of property should ordinarily have insurance against that risk.

The Local Enterprise Offices (LEOs) are the ‘first-stop-shop’ State support service for micro and small businesses in each local area, providing a ‘signposting’ service in relation to all relevant state supports available including Revenue, the Department of Social Protection etc. The Local Enterprise Offices and Enterprise Ireland are the main Agencies within my Department that offer advice and support to indigenous companies. In the first instance businesses should contact their Local Authority where there are issues arising and information and advice will be available from the the Authorities' Business Support Units or the Local Enterprise Office. 

More generally, there are a number of existing emergency humanitarian support schemes that are operated by different Departments for sectors who may be impacted by flooding arising from severe weather. These include the Humanitarian Assistance Scheme operated by the Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection, which is available to assist people whose homes are damaged by flooding and who are not in a position to meet costs for essential needs, household items and in some instances structural repair. The scheme is means tested and assistance is not provided for losses which are covered by insurance or for commercial and business losses.

The Irish Red Cross also operate a Humanitarian Support Scheme for small businesses and community, voluntary and sporting bodies who are affected by flooding and who do not have insurance in place.

The Department of Agriculture has been working constructively with industry and state services in the immediate aftermath of the severe weather event to get the farming sector up and running and fully operational again as quickly as possible. In order to provide ongoing support to the sector the Department runs a number of investment schemes which are already in place.