Councillors ask OPW to clarify insurance cover if flood defence schemes fail

Councillors are to write to the Office of Public Works (OPW) asking what type of insurance cover it has if its flood prevention projects in north Cork fail, and householders and businesses are inundated with water.

The move comes after county engineer David Keane revealed that the council is seeking major insurance cover in case demountable defences, which it is responsible for operating in Fermoy, either fail or are not erected in time.

Mr Keane said they were looking for insurance cover which would exceed the €2.3m norm for public liability because he didn’t believe that was sufficient if there was a catastrophe.

A meeting of the council’s northern division in Mallow heard councillors say they are concerned that the insurance industry still isn’t offering flood cover to householders and businesses which were previously flooded in Fermoy and Mallow, even though their flood defences held firm on December 28/29 last, when heavy rainfall lashed much of the country.

Cllr Noel McCarthy said many people he knew could still not get cover, or if they do “they’re paying huge premiums.” He asked Mr Keane what type of insurance cover the OPW had. The senior engineer said he wasn’t aware of the exact details, but believed it was fully insured for the failure of their schemes.

Cllr McCarthy said it was important to get the facts on what flood cover the OPW had as, in the event of a failure of its projects, householders and businesspeople might be able to get compensation.

Cllr Kay Dawson said that if rainfall of biblical proportions swept over the defences she doubted the OPW could be blamed for that.

Cllr McCarthy said he agreed with her, but wanted to know what insurance was in place and what it would cover in the event of an OPW systems failure.

The OPW has spent €36.7m on the flood scheme in Mallow, and €37.8m in Fermoy.

Mallow flood defences were completed a couple of years ago and have prevented any flooding of businesses in Bridge Street which were repeatedly hit over the years.

Fermoy’s flood defences were completed earlier this year and protected the town last December when the river Blackwater experienced one of its biggest floods in living memory.

Cllr Frank O’Flynn said he was concerned that council planners were still reluctant to zone some land in Fermoy which doesn’t flood any more.

Mr Keane said there would be no building on flood plains.