Emergency flood fund to little, says Opposition
A €12m emergency fund for flooding victims was tonight dismissed as too little to cope with the devastation.
With the lower Shannon threatening to burst its banks for a second day and Co Clare under a severe flood warning, the Opposition said the financial package would not cover the scale of damage.
The clean-up bill is expected to run well above €100m.
Labour leader Eamon Gilmore said the so-called humanitarian assistance would not meet the needs of thousands forced out of their homes and left without drinking water.
“Twelve million (euro), it seems to me, won’t go very far with scale of the devastation that we’ve seen over the last number of days,” he said.
Fine Gael’s Phil Hogan said a national flood alert system was badly needed.
“It may not always be possible to stop the waters but people need to know what is coming in order to prevent as much damage as possible,” Mr Hogan said.
However, the Taoiseach insisted the money was not the Government’s full response to the crisis.
Co Clare bore the brunt of the latest band of bad weather with downpours threatening to repeat floods.
A flood warning also remained on the lower River Shannon with O’Briensbridge, Clonlara, Westbury and Shannon Banks, which had about 20 homes flooded, all in the firing line.
Mayor of Clare Tony Mulcahy and Mayor of Ennis Frankie Neylon issued a joint statement following the warnings for the town and south-east of the county.
“The situation will get worse before it gets better,” they warned.
“It is very likely that areas previously affected by flood waters in recent days will again experience flooding over the coming days.
The Shannon is expected to continue to swell over the next week after flooding hit Athlone further upstream and Met Éireann said heavy bands of rain would cross the country.
Authorities in Galway were also working to reopen 65 roads in the county.
On top of the wet weather storm force gales are forecast for the north and west coasts.
Irish Farmers’ Association president Padraig Walshe welcomed €2m to help flood-hit farms.
Some €140m in other farm payments due in January will be paid in December to ease financial pressure.
The Department of Social Welfare, local authorities, gardaí and other community leaders will work together to distribute the funds.
Mr Gilmore said the priorities were to provide drinking water in Cork, emergency shelter for those flooded out of their homes and help for those returning to and repairing their homes.
The Labour leader also urged the Government to lean on insurance companies to make sure compensation payments were processed as quickly as possible.
Social Affairs Minister Mary Hanafin earlier suggested EU funding might be made available, after calls for an application to the EU Solidarity Fund.
European Commissioner for regional policy Pawel Samecki said he would send a delegation to examine the damage.
But the devastation may have to run to more than €972m for Ireland to qualify.
Mr Cowen also insisted insurance companies had a responsibility to act quickly.
“Of course, it’s incumbent on them to provide expedience and speedy response,” he said.
The ESB, which had been controlling water levels on the lower Shannon as it flows through Parteen Weir, said it would not be increasing volumes.
