Just eight households approved for relocation scheme

Political Reporter

Families whose homes have been destroyed by floods are still waiting to find out if they will be accepted for a relocation scheme almost a year after it was launched.

It is understood just eight households have so far been approved for the Government’s voluntary relocation scheme announced in April 2017.

The Irish Examiner believes around 107 applications have been made to the scheme while 26 households have so far been told that they do not qualify.

Former OPW Minister Seán Canney announced a €2m voluntary relocation scheme for people whose homes were flooded between December 2015 and mid-January 2016 and who are at risk of flooding again in the future.

The average grant was expected to be around €200,000.

OPW Minister Kevin ‘Boxer’ Moran is now under pressure to deliver on the scheme, with Fianna Fáil TD Eugene Murphy claiming the decision to apply for the relocation grant was not one that was taken lightly by families.

“I have met the minister about this and I have told him I am not happy about the number of people that have yet to be approved,” said Mr Murphy.

“This is an urgent situation, if we get more heavy rains again then these people will be flooded again.”

He added that applying to give up their home to move to an area that is not at risk of flooding was a “huge personal and emotional choice for families”.

“Families don’t want to move unless they have to,” he said.

It is understood that the 26 homeowners who have not been accepted to the scheme were rejected as it was deemed that an engineering solution could be found to prevent the flooding of their houses.

But Mr Murphy also said that many of those who have already been rejected claim there are no other remedies other than moving out.

It is understood Mr Moran is now looking to establish an individual home protection scheme which would address those homeowners who do not qualify for relocation.

“This is a very tight scheme, it’s a once-off scheme and the stipulations around it are tight,” said Mr Murphy.

“It’s not a glove that fits everybody.”

He added that while the initial process was slow, the OPW would begin a roadshow to speak with those who have applied for the scheme and the approval process would speed up in the coming weeks and months.