Liam Quaide (Cork East, Social Democrats)
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319. To ask the Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform if eligibility for the individual property protection scheme for east Cork will be extended to include property owners who narrowly averted flooding on 18 October 2023 by being home on the day and able to erect makeshift barriers to keep flood waters out of their properties; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [2594/25]

Pat Buckley (Cork East, Sinn Fein)
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320. To ask the Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform if all applications to a scheme (details supplied) will be given urgent attention to avoid any further damage to properties due to stormy weather; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [2651/25]

Noel McCarthy (Cork East, Fine Gael)
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327. To ask the Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform further to Parliamentary Question No. 389 of 22 January 2025, the number of individual property protection applications received under the scheme; the number of applications received for the retrospective funding for previously installed flood barriers in the area; if he is considering increasing this retrospective funding element of the scheme to ensure that those who have already installed barriers are reimbursed for the full cost of their flood defences; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [2878/25]

Kevin Moran (Longford-Westmeath, Independent)
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I propose to take Questions Nos. 319, 320 and 327 together.

In October 2024, the Office of Public Works, announced €5.8m in funding to Cork County Council for the installation of Individual Property Protection measures to homeowners and businesses impacted by the October 2023 flood event during Storm Babet across Midleton and East Cork. The Individual Property Protection Scheme is intended to help reduce the impact of flooding, mitigating the damage caused to people’s property.

This Cork County Council Scheme closed for applications on the 18th November 2024. Cork County Council has confirmed that 964 applications were received to the scheme of which 97 relate to applications for retrospective funding. The OPW understands that some 167 applications were ineligible and did not meet the criteria for the scheme and Cork County Council has assigned engineering consultants to survey 530 properties; and are tendering for engineering consultants to survey with the balance of eligible properties expected to begin in the coming weeks.

The Council has organised two tender competitions for the supply of 250 flood gates, with one supplier appointed and the second tender process underway. Cork County Council has estimated that the rollout of Individual Property Protection will begin in March 2025.

All applications, including retrospective applications, are being reviewed and assessed on a case by case basis against the terms for the scheme. Cork County Council have conducted an internal review on all applications that were previously deemed ineligible for inclusion in the Midleton and East Cork Individual Property Protection scheme. This review included an evaluation of any additional information submitted by the applicant in support of their application and a mapping review to ensure consistency of assessments with neighbouring properties. The OPW will continue to work closely with Cork County Council on this scheme, and to engage with the Council on its review over the coming weeks.

A quarterly update by Cork County Council on the Midleton and East Cork Individual Property Protection scheme was presented at the Midleton Flood Committee meeting on the 30th January 2025. This Committee involves locally elected representatives, business community and the wider community.