Cabinet row delays plans to relocate flood plain homes

A blistering row among Independent ministers at Cabinet over plans to relocate families living in flood plains has delayed approval of the scheme by several weeks, the Irish Examiner has learned.

The plan, developed by Office of Public Works (OPW) Minister Sean Canney, went before Cabinet three weeks ago only to be “savaged” and rejected by other ministers but most notably Communications Minister Denis Naughten.

Mr Canney has been accused by some ministerial colleagues of displaying a degree of inexperience in not ensuring the €2m plan was robustly “tyre-kicked” before going before Cabinet.

It is understood that Mr Naughten was annoyed at the limitations of the scheme and directly demanded it be widened and improved by Mr Canney, who was briefing the Cabinet on it.

Several ministers have confirmed the clash at Cabinet, adding Mr Naughten “did not hold back” when he saw what was proposed.

Other ministers also raised concerns about the scope and direction of the plan, principally around who would be eligible for it.

“It got hot and heavy alright and in fairness to Sean he has been fine with Denis ever since, given how hard he was on him,” said one minister.

One of Mr Naughten’s major gripes with the plan, sources have said, related to the treatment of turloughs which are mainly found in limestone areas west of the Shannon, including in Mr Naughten’s home county of Roscommon.

As a result, Mr Canney was ordered by Taoiseach Enda Kenny to withdraw the memorandum and fix the outstanding problems with it.

Speaking to the Irish Examiner, sources in Government have said that a lack of experience meant that Mr Canney went into cabinet not fully prepared.

Mr Canney is still eager to have the plan implemented before his time as minister for the OPW comes to an end and the position is handed over to fellow Independent Alliance member Kevin ‘Boxer’ Moran.

Under the plan, it was proposed that hundreds of families living in flood-prone areas could be given up to €200,000 to relocate from their homes.

Mr Canney was proposing a new voluntary relocation scheme for homeowners.

The proposals would apply to flooded households that cannot access insurance, whose residential property is not sustainable and where there is no alternative solution.

The scheme is expected to cost an initial €2m, which was allocated in Budget 2017.

Attempts to contact Mr Canney this weekend were unsuccessful.

However, a spokeswoman for the Independent ministers in Government told the Irish Examiner that the differences have been “straightened out” and it is expected to return before the Cabinet this week she said.