MEPs criticise Irish failure to apply for EU disaster funding

MEPs have criticised the Government for failing to apply for European Union disaster funding to help Ireland's storm damage recovery.

MEP Jim Higgins said he had just been informed the EU Solidarity fund had been increased from €500 million to €800 million for this year and Ireland's deadline to apply for aid was just two weeks.

“With the extra €300 million rollover I’m quite confident we could get €50-€60 million,” he said.

Mr Higgins said he had met with the European Commissioner Johannes Hahn this week in Strasbourg who had confirmed Ireland had not made any application for money.

“He pointed out we don’t need a final figure to apply, just an estimate,” he said.

Mr Higgins said as a “cash-strapped” country he could not understand why the Government had not made an application.

Minister for the Environment Phil Hogan recently said Ireland would not be applying because we did not meet the threshold requirements.

Mr Higgins said from the damage he had seen first-hand across the country he felt Ireland would reach the threshold. But if not, the North West Fine Gael MEP said Ireland could qualify under the regional basis application similar to 2009 when about €13 million was received. "The damage is much worse this time," he said

Clare County Council has estimated their storm damage cost at about €36.8 million and Limerick has suffered more than €9 million worth of damage from the February 1st storm alone.

Pat the Cope Gallagher said extreme weather caused massive damage to infrastructure and property across Ireland.

“The decision (not to apply for funding) is extremely hard to understand,” he said.

A spokesman at the Department of the Environment said there were no figures available yet for the total cost of storm damage and the Minister would announce them when they were ready next week.

The Government has provided €70 million towards repairs and €25 million to humanitarian aid.