Government’s plea for help is welcome

Brian Hayes, the minister for State at the Office of Public Works, has called for residents in flood-affected areas to help his department determine the number of homeowners being refused house insurance as a result of the flooding in Nov 2009.

Extensive damage was done in Cork City and towns such as Skibbereen and Bandon, as well as Ballinasloe, Co Galway. The average claim of the 8,100 households in 2009 was €16,000.

The insurance industry has told Mr Hayes that insurance coverage has only been refused to about 10% of those affected, but the National Flood Forum — set up in the aftermath of the 2009 flooding — suggests the figure is much higher. Representatives from the forum suggested that the figure of those being refused insurance in the Ballinasloe area is closer to 30%.

In one sense it may seem strange that Mr Hayes should be asking for such information, but it really highlights that people often become over-reliant on government and public services like the OPW. In this instance the National Flood Forum has highlighted the real need for action in relation to possible flooding.