Flooding aftermath: Cost of deluge around Ireland

Latest estimates show that nearly 900 properties have been inundated over the past month, with 470 homes and 388 businesses suffering significant water damage in the aftermath of storms Desmond and Frank. About 200 homes have been restored to a habitable state, but 270 remain unoccupied.

Brendan McGrath, of the City and County Managers’ Association, said some local authorities had begun to submit their latest round of damage estimates to the Government as flood waters subside.

"We reviewed every county in Ireland, " he said. "In some counties, the recovery phase has most definitely happened, and we're now beginning to start the damage estimates. It's still too soon to put a cumulative figure on it because until water has fully receded in some areas, you can't assess the exact damage."

Clean-up

The Government set aside €8 million to help with the clean-up following Storm Desmond, and this was topped up by a further €10 million earlier this week. Estimates of the costs of repairing roads damaged by flooding have been put at €100 million.

Emergency services dealt with more than 20,000 calls between December 3rd last and the start of January.

Met Éireann is forecasting extended dry spells for many areas over the next five days, with occasional heavy showers on western, southern and southeastern coasts.

Water levels on the river Shannon are continuing to decline. About 100 members of the Defence Forces are still stationed around Clonlara, Dungarvan, Shannonbridge and Athlone, where they are contributing to pumping operations and providing transport.

Insurance clash

The insurance industry looks set to clash with the Government at meetings about flood insurance next week. Representatives insist sole responsibility for addressing the crisis rests with the State.

Insurance Ireland has reiterated its position that insurance companies would risk insolvency if they were to offer flood cover to homes considered to be at high risk without the State first building adequate flood defences.

The umbrella group's spokesman, Michael Horan, said that, ultimately, home insurance came down to a simple assessment of risk.

“Insurance companies are in the business of managing risk and not in the business of insuring against inevitable events,” he said.