State must set up flood defence body

AS floods inundated homes and disrupted traffic across the country yesterday, there was justifiable criticism of the Government’s failure to establish an agency to combat this ongoing crisis.

Many homes are literally becoming uninsurable as companies threaten to wash their hands of any responsibility to cover risks facing householders in areas prone to flooding.

While the insurance sector can fairly be accused of putting profit before people, ironically, this cynical attitude has effectively put a gun to the Government’s head.