Immediate support needed for communities flooded by Storm Babet – Lombard

Local communities left heavily flood damaged from Storm Babet’s torrential rainfall should have access to immediate emergency funding from separate Government departments, a Fine Gael Senator has said.

Senator Tim Lombard said there has been unprecedented damage to homes, businesses, and roads across the southern coastal counties. The Cork Senator said it has resulted in serious issues for Southern communities who now needed help to repair infrastructure and property.

“There has been at least 115mm of rain in the last 24 hours, which is the equivalent of one month’s rainfall. People have been forced to evacuate their homes, cars have been destroyed and roads have been made completely impassable.

“When events like this occur, we need to help in any and every way we can. The stress which families are now under should not be underestimated.

“It is important an initial assessment of the damage is carried out without delay and an action plan is soon put in place to deal with this damage, particularly with regard to properties, businesses and roads.

“Cork County Council’s Roads Directorate is responsible for the maintenance of the largest road network (12,200 km) of any local authority in the country. The local authority will be under pressure to repair roads across the county, so it is essential that there is emergency funding provided.

“The local authority needs support in helping those affected, and the most straightforward way of doing this is through the Humanitarian Assistance Fund.

“This would provide urgent funding to small businesses, sports clubs, community, and voluntary organisations who, through no fault of their own, could not secure flood insurance and have premises that have been damaged by the exceptional weather.

“The Irish Red Cross could administer and make payments under the scheme on behalf of the Department of Social Protection and the Department of Enterprise, Trade, and Employment.

“The Humanitarian Assistance Fund for flooding was utilised in Cork in 2020 after Storm Francis. The damage to roads and infrastructure in Cork alone from that storm was €6 million and it is estimated that the cost of Storm Babet will greatly exceed this.

“I’m urgently calling for emergency funding to be put in place to help local authorities deal with these increased costs to repair our road infrastructure and to expand the Humanitarian Assistance Fund to include Southern coastal counties impacted by the storm,” concluded Senator Lombard.