Simon Harris to ask Cabinet for 'some emergency funding' for flood victims with no insurance

The Minister of State at the Department of Office for Public Works, Simon Harris, says emergency funding is being considered for those without insurance affected by the flooding over the weekend.

Mr Harris says he will brief the Cabinet tomorrow on the extent of the problem as clean-up operations are continuing in towns across Ireland.

The west of the country was worst affected with rivers bursting their banks in counties Cork, Mayo, Sligo and Galway.

However, Mr Harris said it is too early to say at this stage how much money could be made available.

He said: "Tomorrow I'll be going to Cabinet to brief my colleagues about the events of the last number of days, and I will be seeking some emergency funding.

"There is a number of people who find themselves in an extraordinarily difficult position whereby they don't have flood insurance and this is possibly not the first time they have been flooded, and they find themselves without insurance.

"I will be going to Cabinet tomorrow and I expect the Government will make a decision in relation to some emergency funding."