Hogan to brief Cabinet on flood works

Minister Phil Hogan is to brief the Cabinet on Tuesday in relation to plans for dealing with floods in Cork in the longer term.

Speaking exclusively to the Cork Independent today, Minister for Social Protection Joan Burton said that while her department had been dealing with the individuals affected, through Community Welfare Officers, to distribute the humanitarian assistance fund, Ministers Simon Coveney and Michael Noonan are working on a solution for businesses and this will form part of a wider discussion at Cabinet about flood provision on Tuesday morning.

In relation to the humanitarian assistance fund, Minister Burton said there have only been approximately 50 applications but that there are people who need support and they should contact their local Community Welfare Officer to avail of the scheme.

"A lot of Cork is below sea level," the Minister said, "so the risk of this happening again is acute. Those who were flooded before and have no insurance are covered by the humanitarian package, and Community Welfare Officers are authorised to give immediate once-off distress funding, for bedding, white goods, things like that.

"When someone's house is dried out, which takes time, an assessment is then done on what needs to be done to assist people. The Office of Public Works and local authority flood provision has been very effective in my own constituency of Drumcondra where the Tolka flooded badly six or seven years ago, and this has been done in Kilkenny and Clonmel as well."

She said the Department of Social Protection would also assist uninsured people who had to leave their homes with rent.