Louis O'Hara (Galway East, Sinn Fein)
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40. To ask the Minister for Enterprise, Trade and Employment if support will be provided to businesses which suffered losses not covered by insurance during storm Éowyn; if he has engaged with the insurance industry regarding payment of storm-related claims; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [6704/25]

Peter Burke (Longford-Westmeath, Fine Gael)
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Government is acutely aware of the significant challenges that the impacts of Storm Éowyn has caused for business owners over recent weeks.

With regard the issue of potential schemes to support businesses with losses arising from Storm Éowyn, I would in the first instance encourage businesses to seek recourse through their insurance providers to cover losses incurred.

Government has been engaging proactively with the insurance sector and welcomes that the Insurance industry has stated that they view impacts from Storm Éowyn as a standard insured peril which are covered in insurance policies both for householders and businesses.

In most cases I understand that the issues giving rise to financial losses for businesses (damage to property, loss of earnings and/or spoilage to stock) should in the normal course be covered by business insurance that the businesses in question will have taken out. Insurance should be the first and primary recourse for businesses that have incurred financial losses as a result of Storm Eowyn.

The Programme for Government includes a commitment to an Extreme Weather Event Assistance Scheme, designed to support affected households, farms and businesses. This initiative predates Storm Éowyn and is a strategic policy action for delivery. Officials in my Department have begun working as a matter of urgency on the aspects of such a scheme relevant to the business sector.

I have been advised that officials of the Department of Finance have written to Insurance Ireland on 28 January reiterating Government’s expectation that insurance companies should treat policyholders fairly and expediently in the context of claims relating to Storm Éowyn.