Angry residents blame insurance firms for U-turn on flood cover

INSURANCE companies have been accused of refusing reasonable cover for some homeowners affected by flooding a number of years ago despite the erection of a protective wall above the river.

Damien Cassidy, who chaired the Flood Distress Committee after the River Dodder burst its banks and flooded Ringsend and Irishtown in Dublin in February 2000, said insurers have been going back on their assurances that premiums would not be hiked enormously if adequate flood protection was provided.

The five-foot wall supported by metal sheet piling has been in place since early 2003. But almost two years later, many householders in the area are experiencing obstacles when it comes to getting insurance for their homes, according to Mr Cassidy.