Hope of €26m from EU as experts to examine extent of damage

By Ann Cahill Europe Correspondent

Wednesday, November 25, 2009

THE EU is to send a mission of experts to examine the damage caused by the catastrophic flooding and offer up to €26 million in aid.

Government representatives have already been in touch with the European Commission about how to qualify for money from the Solidarity Fund, made available to countries that have suffered unexpected natural disasters.

Ireland South MEP Seán Kelly and other Irish MEPs met the commissioner responsible for the fund, Pawel Samecki, in Strasbourg last night.

Commissioner Samecki, in charge of regional policy, said he would send a delegation to examine the damage, which may have to run to more than €972m for Ireland to qualify for funding.

Mr Kelly (FG) told him that the unprecedented flooding was a one-in-a thousand-years event and while it was impossible to put a cost on the damage at this stage, in Cork alone it must be in the region of €1 billion.

"When one takes in the [costs], including the closure of the central business district of Ireland’s second city, Cork, in the run up to the Christmas shopping period, the total costs must surely be in the region of €1bn.

"More than 50,000 people in the north-side of Cork city will be without water for the week, plus thousands more in counties Cork, Tipperary, Waterford, Kerry, Clare and Galway have had to be evacuated from their houses. The damage is not just localised, but widespread and extensive", he said.

According to the rules of the Solidarity Fund, payments can be made only when the direct cost of the damage is above a certain threshold – in Ireland’s case this is €972.7 million.

Damage covered includes all physical public and private buildings plus the cost of the rescue operations, but does not include economic consequences such as reduced turnover or loss of state revenues.

Commissioner Samecki, replying to a query from Mr Kelly, said: "This is indeed a dramatic situation with many severe and sad consequences for the people affected by the floods".

The Government has 10 weeks to apply for funding.

Meanwhile Labour MEP Alan Kelly said the Government is about to miss tomorrow’s deadline to bring into Irish law the EU Flood Risk Directive two years after signing up to it.

"As much of the country lies under water, Environment Minister John Gormley needs to explain what possible justification there is for not implementing this Directive, the aim of which is assess and manage flood risks."

The OPW was appointed the agency to carry out the risk assessment and has completed its initial work.

Social Affairs Minister Mary Hanafin earlier suggested EU funding might be made available, after calls for an application to the EU Solidarity Fund.

Mr Cowen also insisted insurance companies had a responsibility to act quickly. "It’s incumbent on them to provide expedience and speedy response," he said.

This story appeared in the printed version of the Irish Examiner Wednesday, November 25, 2009