Losses omitted from flood relief plan

The humanitarian flood relief scheme approved by the Cabinet will not provide compensation for losses, the Dáil has been told.

Instead the project, to be administered by the Red Cross, "provides for assistance where extreme hardship has been suffered", according to the Minister of State for the OPW, Mr Tom Parlon.

He said there would be question marks over future housing developments in a number of areas given the development of the Tolka valley, which suffered severe flooding.

During a special notice question on the flooding in Dublin, Meath, Kildare and Athlone, opposition deputies also appealed for interim repairs in areas repeatedly affected by floods. Mr Damien English (FG, Meath) said: "It's not rocket science - a lad with a JCB will sort a lot out."

Mr Parlon said consultants involved in a major study on drainage requirements for greater Dublin were opposed to interim remedial works in advance of the completion of the report next May. They believed such repairs could exacerbate flooding.

However, pressed repeatedly by TDs whose constituencies were badly affected, the Minister said he would put the deputies' suggestions to the consultants. "We will consider them further and see if at least some of them can be implemented".

Mr Tony Gregory (Ind, Dublin Central) pointed to the Botanic area of Dublin, which he said was flooded in November 2000. "There are very obvious works that need to be done, bridges that need to be raised or replaced," he said. Those residents could not wait until consultants had finished their report.

Mr Joe Costello (Lab, Dublin Central) said the Tolka could be dredged without exacerbating flooding. There were "trees, sand banks and mud banks" which could be removed and which would lower the level of the river.

Many people were told it was an "act of God" and could not get insurance but it was "not an act of God when humans can intervene" to prevent such flooding.

Mr Parlon said the eligibility criteria were extreme hardship, homelessness, damage to homes and serious injury. There was no limit on the amounts to be paid but the average payment for a similar scheme after floods in Ringsend and East Wall in Dublin in February was €10,377 for 725 claimants. In all €8.5 million was spent.

Mr Parlon also rejected suggestions that approval for the scheme was a reversal of Government decisions on the Estimates. Such schemes were by their nature unpredictable and therefore not included in the Estimates.