Flood insurance - Permanent solution

Taoiseach Enda Kenny seems intent on persuading insurance companies to play a bigger role in providing cover for areas susceptible to flooding.

Rather than impose yet another insurance levy, the Government wants the insurance companies to impose higher costs on all of us to cover flooding claims.

That so many of the claims are a direct result of Government failures — proper planning controls, meaningful climate change measures and yet another deferral of nitrates controls — just rubs salt into the wounds.

This is a problem that is not going to go away, but it does not seem wise to offer an open-ended, permanent cover in a situation where losses are almost guaranteed. A permanent solution rather than a sticking-plaster one is what is required.