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Leon Farrell/Photocall Ireland
Georgina and Mike Culshaw survey the damage in their Kilmainham home yesterday morning
Floods
Government may offer humanitarian aid to flood victims
Brian Hayes has said the Government would look at providing assistance – but it’s not yet clear what form this could take.
THE GOVERNMENT IS considering offering humanitarian assistance to people affected by the floods which devastated parts of Dublin and the east coast this week.
Minister of State for the OPW Brian Hayes said this morning that the government would look “in a favourable light” on applications for assistance. He also said that if it emerged that a large number of people had been left homeless by the flooding, funding might be available to aid those people.
It is feared that a number of homes in some areas of Dublin may have been rendered temporarily or permanently uninhabitable by water damage. Two people were killed as portions of the capital and surrounding areas were inundated with water on a day that set a rainfall record.
Speaking on RTÉ’s Morning Ireland, Minister Hayes said: “What we need to do is find out from local authorities the extent of the damage. If an application for humanitarian assistance is made then the Government will look at that in a favourable light.”
However, an OPW spokesperson told TheJournal.ie that it is too early to say what form any assistance might take. He said that a review into the flooding would have to be carried out first and that it would likely be “a couple of weeks” before that review was complete.
Minister Hayes also said that the Government would be examining the plight of those who are unable to insure their homes because they live in areas prone to flooding.
Read more: Transport returns to normal following flooding>
GALLERY: The morning after the floods>
