The Minister of State for the Office of Public Works and Flood Relief, Seán Canney, has announced that the Government has agreed the administrative arrangements for a once-off targeted Voluntary Homeowner Relocation Scheme.
The Minister said: “This is a humanitarian aid scheme targeted at those homeowners whose main or family home flooded between December 4 2015 and January 13 2016 to an extent that left it uninhabitable and whose home is at significant risk of damage from flooding again, and cannot be protected through any future planned or possible flood protection or mitigation measures. Homes in turlough areas that flooded after these dates will also be considered under the scheme.”
Deputy Canney advised that identifying homeowners under the scheme involves a two stage process; the OPW firstly working with the local authorities using their local knowledge in relation to the homes that flooded, their future risk of flooding, and the possible measures to protect those homes.
Those homeowners who are identified at this first stage will be contacted by the OPW, or its representatives, for a meeting to provide the homeowner with further detailed information on the scheme. At or shortly after that meeting they may be invited to apply to be considered under stage two, a more detailed assessment of each individual home to assess if an offer to assist with relocation is warranted. Voluntary relocation will be offered to those homes that are deemed unsustainable due to their flood risk and for which there are no other known or possible alternative flood protection or mitigation measures.
When the number of homeowners who volunteer for this scheme is known the full budget above the €2m allocated for 2017, for the scheme will form part of the normal budgetary process.
The Minister says that it is planned to start making contact with homeowners in the coming weeks.
Homeowners whose primary home flooded in winter 2015/2016 and would like to register their interest in the scheme can do so by contacting the OPW before July 28.
Further information on the scheme and details of how homeowners may register their interest will be published on the OPW website shortly.
The Minister in acknowledging that this initiative is a scheme of last resort for people, stressed: “It is critical that the Government investment is targeted at those homeowners at greatest risk of future flooding and would gain greatest benefit from State support to relocate.
“The announcement of this scheme is further evidence of the Government’s commitment to rural communities and progress towards the OPW commitments within the Action Plan for Rural Development.”
The Minister also stated “Alongside this Voluntary Home Relocation Scheme my office is also making significant progress in advancing its flood risk capital programme and, at this time, there are an unprecedented 37 major flood relief schemes at various stages of advancement. This Government has fully embraced this approach and has provided substantial investment of €430 million for flood risk management in the Capital Investment Plan to 2021.”
