Tradesmen offer free help to flood victims
Some 150 tradesmen, architects and engineers have signed up to use their skills free of charge to help distraught homeowners devastated by floods, it was revealed today.
Plumbers, plasterers, electricians, painters and decorators will all give up their time on Saturday to help with coordinated repair work in the midlands.
Offers of help have come from not only the Athlone area but across the east coast, including Dublin, Kildare and Wicklow, according to organisers onlinetradesmen.com
Ted Laverty, managing director, said he was delighted with the response and predicted the numbers could rise above 200.
“You talk to a lot of them and they’re genuinely enthusiastic about it,” Mr Laverty said.
“They’ve all been affected by what they’ve seen. It’s like a national Hurricane Katrina.
“It’s been really heartening. I’m delighted with the response so far.”
Mr Laverty said he has heard stories from around the country of tradesmen going that extra bit to help devastated flood victims, including joiners allowing carpenters to use their shops to cut up material.
Athlone was among the worst-hit areas along the Shannon region, with hundreds of families evacuated from their homes.
The volunteering day of action was expected to take place on Saturday past but organisers were forced to postpone it for a week as water levels were still too high.
Ian O’Flynn, of the Athlone Flood Response Centre, said volunteers have been assessing what needs to be done to prepare the way for the tradesmen.
“A lot of people won’t be back in before Christmas, but the ones we’re able to work on we want at least to make them habitable, and not damp ... that’s really what we’re trying to get the lads in to do,” Mr O’Flynn said.
“So many people around the country are saying these are my skills, this is what I can do.”
It is estimated that around 200 families have had their homes damaged by the floods in the Westmeath area, with around half remaining in temporary accommodation.
Martin Mansergh, junior minister with responsibility for the Office of Public Works, told a Dáil committee that some flood-hit homeowners in parts of the country may never return to their houses because of the scale of the damage.
Meanwhile the Vintners’ Federation of Ireland (VFI) is to set aside a fund to help members whose premises and businesses were affected by the floods.
“These floods could not have come at a worse time for publicans, many of whom are already struggling to keep their businesses alive during these difficult times,” VFI president Val Hanley said.
“Our hope is that this fund will provide some support to our members at this difficult time and will go towards helping them get back on their feet and open to the public as soon as possible.”
