Department seeks help with flood area figures

Minister for State at the Office of Public Works Brian Hayes has asked residents in flood-affected areas to help his department find out how many homeowners are being refused house insurance.

He was speaking at a meeting of the National Flood Forum, which was set up in the aftermath of the Nov 2009 flooding which caused extensive damage in towns such as Ballinasloe, Skibbereen, and Bandon, and cities such as Cork.

The insurance industry has told the minister that the figure for those refused insurance cover is as low as 10% but this has been challenged by affected communities.

Representatives from one flood-affected area, Ballinasloe in Co Galway, told the forum they believe the figure is closer to 30% in their region.

In particular, the OPW is seeking more accurate information on the number of households not able to get insurance cover after the office carried out rem-edial flood prevention works.

Armed with this infor-mation, it could draw up maps of areas where householders cannot get insurance cover.

In attendance at the meeting were Mr Hayes, Michael Collins from the OPW, residents Enda O’Donovan and Michael Thornhill from Skibbereen, and residents Gillian Powell from Bandon, Co Cork, and Frank Kavanagh from Ballinasloe.

Mr Kavanagh told those present how a ‘letter of affect’ can help those dealing with insurance companies.

This is a letter that details the flood relief work completed recently by the OPW. Such a letter was issued to Ballinasloe residents and it worked with certain insurance companies.

Mr O’Donovan also proposed that an alternative insurance scheme be devised for areas prone to flooding.

He told the flood forum meeting how the 8,100 households affected during the two most recent severe flood events had average claims of €16,000.

His proposal involved a €100 surcharge for flood prone areas which would entitle the home owner to a fixed sum such as €16,000.

The resident representatives also informed the ministers of the need to improve communications between the various local authorities and between local authorities and communities.

The Nov 2009 flooding was the worst on record, with parts of West Cork and areas around the River Shannon experiencing as much as 20cm of rainfall.

Residents had to be evacuated from their homes such was the ferocity of the rain.

Electricity supply, mobile phone, broadband, and landline services were all down in the West Cork town of Bandon for up to 24 hours.