A sum of €109,000 has been paid to 275 claimants in the initial emergency assistance response to assist flood victims in Limerick, said Housing Minister Jan O’Sullivan yesterday.

As the Government adds another €15m to monies made available to the victims of flooding, it has defended paying just €2.2m to householders from the €10m pledged in the wake of floods four years ago.

The €208,000 spend by the Department of Social Protection on new signage for its Intreo centres came under fire yesterday.

The Government yesterday launched its one-stop-shop model for jobseekers, with a warning that if those in receipt of benefits did not “play ball”, they would have their rates cuts.

HOUSEHOLDERS living in flood-damaged buildings yesterday began receiving payments from the Irish Red Cross humanitarian fund.

THE body of the Filipino woman who drowned when her basement flat was submerged during last week’s flooding in Dublin will be flown home tomorrow.

A CRACKDOWN on fraudulent social welfare claims yielded almost half a billion euro in savings to the state last year, it has emerged.

AN increasing number of bereaved families are seeking state assistance to help pay for funerals as a result of the recession.