Fresh calls for financial aid to help flood victims

FRESH calls were made yesterday to assist recent flood victims in west Limerick.

Six families have still not moved back into their homes following the early August flooding which devastated Newcastle West.

A report, commissioned by Limerick County Council after the floods swamped parts of the region, revealed more than 200 homes and business premises were damaged.

The flood was reported to be a once in a 650-year occurrence.

Calls were made yesterday for Government financial aid to alleviate hardship.

Many people whose homes were flooded had no insurance, while others were underinsured, it has emerged.

Councillor Patrick O’Donovan, who was one of the first to raise the alarm on the night of the floods, said the freakish nature of what happened strengthened the Government’s hand to step in and give financial aid to people who suffered.

He said: “Minister for the OPW Martin Mansergh came the day after the floods but we didn’t see or hear from him since.”

Mr O’Donovan said the only assistance given to date came from the local Lions Club, the St Vincent de Paul, the Red Cross and community welfare staff.

He accepted that two local TDs, John Cregan and Niall Collins, had offered to channel appeals for financial assistance to appropriate government agencies.

“But what’s the point of people coming forward if the Government haven’t even bothered to set up some kind of hardship fund for those badly affected in Newcastle West,” Mr O’Donovan said.

“Up to six families are still unable to move back into their homes and a lot of damage has been caused to many other homes. When Drumcondra was flooded, Bertie Ahern got money into the area immediately to relieve hardship.

“The council report said what happened here was a freak. Surely this makes our case all the stronger. It’s over a month now and we haven’t heard a word.”

He said the OPW has a €350 million fund for flood relief work and some of this money could be put into a hardship fund for Newcastle West.

Niall Collins TD said he had only received a small number of requests from people seeking government financial aid.

Mr Collins said if more people were prepared to come forward, it would strengthen their hand in appealing to the Government for relief funding.