The Taoiseach has said financial supports will be made available to the households and businesses impacted by flooding in Bantry in Co Cork.
Cork County Council said 20 properties were impacted by the flood water in the town during a Status Orange weather warning yesterday.
Speaking at the annual Ivy Day commemoration of the death of Charles Stewart Parnell at Glasnevin Cemetery in Dublin, Simon Harris described the situation as a “difficult day and night” in the southwest of the country.
Minister of State with responsibility for the Office of Public Works Kieran O’Donnell will visit the Bantry today.
The Taoiseach said he has been in contact with both Minister for Enterprise Peter Burke and Minister for Social Protection Heather Humphreys.
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He said the two ministers will bring memos to the Cabinet meeting on Tuesday “to put in place the financial supports to assist any businesses or any households that were impacted with the heavy rain and with the floods that ensued from that”.
Mr Harris said there is a “significant, I suppose, template at this stage that we tend to roll out and put in place when an area finds itself hit by a flood”.
“I know that is no substitute, by the way, for the trauma that you can experience if your business or your home is flooded.”
He said supports are made available to businesses through the Department of Enterprise, Trade and Employment and to households through the Department of Social Protection.
“There are limits and ranges there and they’re very similar to those that have been in place for previous floods,” he said.
“I think that what the people of Bantry will most want to know is one, when can the flood relief scheme be delivered, and two, and I’ve heard from them in relation to this, what interim measures can be put in place.”
His comments come as the chairperson of the Bantry Business Association said “the water came from everywhere” yesterday during the flooding.
Speaking on RTÉ’s This Week, Danielle Delaney said “people are assessing the damage today and trying to get cleaned up”.
Ms Delaney said she had spoken to business owners in the area, describing them as “angry” and “upset”.
She added that the water system “basically isn’t big enough” to deal with such weather.
“Some people had flood gates up and the water came up through their floors,” she added.
Ms Delaney said the Taoiseach’s announcement that there will be supports for those impacted by the flooding is “fantastic”.
But, she said, “we had this four years ago as well”.
“Four years ago, somebody came down from the Government, had a walk around town, looked at all the damage and said, ‘don’t worry.'”
“We need a more permanent solution, this is four years later, and the exact same thing has happened,” Ms Delaney said.
Bantry town experienced flooding four times in 18 months between 2018 and 2020.
A flood relief scheme is currently in planning.
Consultants were appointed in February 2022 to carry out a detailed study and the first of two public consultations took place in May 2022 & again in May 2024, but it will still be a number of years before any flood relief scheme is in place.
The Taoiseach said Minister O’Donnell will have the head of the flood relief section of his department with him in Bantry today and he said that “they’ll be very eager to hear directly from the community”.
“Any interim measures that can be put in place, as we moved into this winter, should absolutely do so.
“We’ve seen great results from flood protection schemes across the country, but where towns or villages are still waiting for flood relief schemes, we do need to say what more can be done in the interim.”