€5 million for small businesses affected by flooding- Daly

Fine Gael TD for Cork South West, Jim Daly, has welcomed the announcement of €5 million in funding for small businesses with no insurance which were affected by the recent floods.

“Small businesses in Cork will benefit from the €5 million in funding that has been set aside to help them deal with the aftermath of recent flooding.

“This fund was signed off on by the Government today. This is an emergency scheme to assist small businesses and other property owners that were hit by the floods in the at risk areas that cannot get flood insurance.

“This has been a very difficult week for Cork homes and businesses. Yet again they are cleaning up after a flooding incident. Rainfall in November was 50% above average and we received almost one months’ worth of rain in 48 hours this week.

“This Government is determined not to leave people cleaning up the mess themselves as in the past. Over the last 20 years the Government has invested €410m on flood relief schemes. By comparison, the Capital Investment Plan of this Government sets aside an additional €430 million for flood risk in the coming six years, meaning that annual investment is going from €45 million to €70 million.

“I know that Bandon residents and business people have been frustrated at the long delays in getting the Bandon scheme up and running, due to legal challenges. However it is getting underway and will bring flood protection to approximately 390 properties.

“Tender documentation has been issued to a shortlist of contractors and the tenders are due back in early January, after which the assessment process will take place. It is expected the contractor will be appointed in May as we still have to go through an assessment process, tender report, approval process and the necessary cooling off period. Construction will begin in 2016 and will involve new walls and embankments, excavating the channel by approximately 1.6m for a distance of 3.5kms, replacement of the pedestrian bridge, underpinning Bandon Bridge, construction of new fish passages and associated drainage works including new pump stations.

“Schemes are also in progress in Ballymakeery / Ballyvourney, Cork City, Douglas, Glanmire, Togher and Skibbereen.

“The Department of Social Protection has also activated its €10 million Humanitarian Assistance Scheme, designed to assist householders affected by the current bad weather conditions. This can include emergency income support payments for food, clothing and personal items in the immediate aftermath of the flooding event. It could also assist with the replacement of white goods and basic furniture destroyed in the floods as well as long term works such as plastering, dry-lining, relaying of floors, electrical re-wiring and painting.”