Red Cross sends humanitarian aid to flood-affected Dublin householders
The grants are designed to cover the loss of household items and other damage caused by the torrential rain and flooding two weeks ago, which wreaked havoc across huge areas of the country, particularly Leinster.
The grants of up to €1,000 will be provided to households where the damage has been assessed by community welfare officers.
The Irish Red Cross and other agencies such as St Vincent De Paul are aiding many people who have been unable to return to their homes because of damage.
The Red Cross said that in one case, an elderly woman saw flood waters enter her home while rain also poured in through the flat roof of her kitchen. Many of her belongings and furniture were destroyed and she is living in one room while the rest of her property is cleaned and repaired.
Households wishing to apply for assistance from the Irish Red Cross Flood Fund can contact their local community welfare officer for more details.
Donal Forde, secretary general of the Irish Red Cross, said: “It is essential that we offer what aid we can to those who were affected by the floods as quickly as possible. We are working closely with the Community Welfare Service within the Department of Social Protection to ensure that the process is quick and effective.”
Some of the areas in Dublin most seriously affected by the flooding are part of a four-year project looking at flood management systems.
The project, being conducted by students at NUI Galway and entitled Flood Risk Management in Ireland: The Role of Public Participation, is reviewing the River Dodder catchment area in Dublin and Gort in Co Galway.
It is hoped the project, due to be complete by September 2013 and funded by the Irish Research Council for the Humanities and Social Sciences, will help with devising of national and local management strategies for increasingly vulnerable populations.
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