Fears for victims as €8.4m in flood aid unclaimed

THE Government turned down a charity’s request for extra funding to help flood victims despite the fact that almost €8.4 million of a €10m aid package went unclaimed.

And there are no plans to change the humanitarian assistance scheme, sparking fears that the €10m announced fund for Dublin’s flood victims will not get to those who need it most.

The Society of St Vincent de Paul (SVP) has called for a complete overhaul of the means-tested system, which it claims is too rigid.