One authority in charge of flood defences urged

A SINGLE national authority should be charged with developing defences against flooding, the insurance industry said yesterday.

The challenge came as the insurers’ representative body revealed yesterday that flooding and other weather damage to property had led to claims totalling 67m. The bulk of these claims came from floods last February, with most of the money going to householders and property owners in Dublin and adjoining east coast areas.

A major freeze-up on New Year’s Eve led to largescale incidents of burst pipes with resultant claims.

Michael Kemp, chief executive of the Irish Insurance Federation, said a plethora of national and local agencies were charged with flood protection. He said that with the onset of another winter it was time to co-ordinate efforts spread across the Office of Public Works, Waterways Ireland, local councils and other agencies.

“A single national agency could spearhead a review of river and coastal flood defences in order to invest in practical improvements in flood blackspots,” Mr Kemp said.

He added that this could allow avoidance of building on flood-prone lands.

Mr Kemp revealed that almost 3,000 claims worth 37m were lodged following the February floods.

Some 2,500 of these were private householders claiming 26m. The remaining 400 claims were commercial property owners totalling 11m.

A freeze-up last New Year’s Eve led to 4,500 damage claims worth 30m. Some 4,000 of these were householders claiming 23m and the balance were commercial property claims.