A number of families in Galway affected by the devastating floods of November 2009 will soon be given a life-line grant, estimated to be worth around €200,000, to buy new homes.
Early last month it was revealed that the Government was to make a decision on a relocation grant, a decision that was finally made on Monday with around 17 families - forced out of their homes by the flooding two years ago - successful in their applications.
The Cabinet has authorised payments from a €4 million fund to re-locate the families - 13 families are based in Galway, three are in Roscommon, and one family is in Offaly. While these 17 families can now look forward to using the grants to buy new homes and move on from the nightmare that the floods of November 2009 brought, there are many other families in Galway and elsewhere who will be left disappointed by the news that they are not being re-located.
The scheme was set up by the Department of Social Protection to provide support to a small number of families around the country who were affected by the unprecedented flooding and who have since experienced significant difficulties with housing. Approximately 40 families applied for the relocation grant scheme, with 27 of these families from Galway which was one of the worst affected areas during and after the flooding. The Government allocated €4 million to the scheme and the Office of Public Works was commissioned to carry out examinations of the properties affected by the flood and compile reports for the Department of Social Protection. The scheme criteria that had to be met by the families includes that relocation will only be offered where the cost of renovating damaged premises and the risk of recurrent flooding outweighs the cost of relocation. There was also a stipulation that where the Government has funded flood prevention works families in these areas were less likely to be considered.
