Kieran O'Donnell (Limerick City, Fine Gael)
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The Voluntary Homeowners Relocation Scheme 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.

To be eligible for assistance under this once-off Scheme, a homeowner had to meet a number of conditions, including that floodwater entered and damaged the building during or as a result of flooding during relevant dates such as to render it uninhabitable and that there is no viable engineering solution that could protect the building from future flooding.

Under this national Scheme, a total of 174 potentially eligible homes were identified to the OPW in two ways, either by the local authorities or through direct expressions of interest from homeowners. At all times, participation in the Scheme has been voluntary for homeowners. Through follow-up meetings with the homeowners and both desk-based and engineering assessments, approximately half of those homeowners either were not interested in engaging with the Scheme or did not meet the Scheme criteria.

Some homeowners identified as being potentially eligible will benefit from engineering solutions that will protect their homes from future flooding. The OPW and the Local Authorities identified 33 homeowners who would otherwise be eligible for relocation who will benefit from inclusion in planned flood relief schemes and Minor Flood Mitigation Works and Coastal Protection Scheme projects. In addition to these projects, an important element of the administrative arrangements of the relocation Scheme was the establishment of a unique and once-off scheme of remedial works for identified engineering solutions for eligible homes for which there is no other funding source. To date, remedial works have been identified to protect some 15 homes from future flooding and work is continuing to explore possible engineering solutions for a further 4 homes.

Where an engineering solution is not feasible, based on best available information at the time of each decision, the OPW offers financial assistance towards relocation to a replacement home, equivalent to the cost to the relevant local authority, on a like for like basis.

To date, 29 homeowners have received formal offers of financial assistance for relocation. Of these, 20 homeowners have now completed the process, which has enabled them to relocate and purchase or build a replacement home under the Scheme. The remaining homeowners who have received formal offers of financial assistance are at various stages in progressing through the Scheme for relocation. There are no proposals to amend the Scheme at this time.

The overall number of homes in the scheme is relatively low which presents a risk that individual homeowners could be identified by providing data at local authority level. For that reason, it is not possible to provide figures at local authority level as requested by the Deputy.