Pádraig O'Sullivan (Cork North Central, Fianna Fail)
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279. To ask the Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform the supports that are available to homeowners that have been impacted by flooding in the past and who can no longer obtain flood insurance; if State supports are available in such an instance in the event of future flooding events; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [53449/22]

Patrick O'Donovan (Limerick County, Fine Gael)
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The OPW is co-ordinating Ireland’s whole of Government approach to flood risk management through the Interdepartmental Flood Policy Co-ordination Group, across the following strategic and policy areas:

- Prevention- avoiding construction in flood-prone areas.

- Protection- taking feasible measures to protect areas against flooding.

- Preparedness- planning and responding to reduce the impacts of flood events.

The members of this Interdepartmental Group are proactively progressing a wide range of significant policy initiatives, including:

- The Office of Public Works administered "Voluntary Homeowners Relocation Scheme" which was introduced by the Government in 2017 to address the very serious flooding of those homes that flooded in the Winter of 2015/16, including those homes flooded by turloughs. This is a voluntary targeted once-off humanitarian scheme for homeowners whose primary dwelling house was flooded, significantly damaged and uninhabitable as a result of the major floods that occurred between 4 December, 2015 and 13 January, 2016; where their dwelling house is at significant risk of recurrence causing similar damage from flooding again and the homeowner is unable to obtain flood insurance or be protected by other possible flood protection or mitigation measures.

- The Department of Social Protection has an important role in assisting households in the immediate aftermath of emergency events through the Humanitarian Assistance Scheme. The purpose of this scheme is to prevent hardship by providing income-tested financial support to people whose homes are damaged from flooding and severe weather events and who are not in aposition to meet costs for essential needs, household items and structural repair.

- The Department of Enterprise, Trade and Employment operates the humanitarian support scheme for small businesses, community, voluntary and sporting bodies providing assistance to those affected by flooding. The scheme provides a one-off emergency humanitarian support contribution (max. €20,000) towards the costs of returning business premises to their pre-flood condition including the replacement of flooring, fixtures and fittings and damaged stock.

- The Department of Rural and Community Development has developed a draft Framework Proposal for Community Resilience within Major Emergency Management. The draftFramework explores the potential additional support structure that can be built into existing response plans, facilitating greater co-operation and understanding at a local level while providing the potential for extra resources if, and when, required.

- The Department of Housing, Local Government and Heritage is designated as the Lead Government Department with responsibility for severe weather events including flooding under the Strategic Emergency Management Framework. Local Authorities are designated as the lead agency for response to flooding in the Framework for Major Emergency Management.