Mayo Fine Gael TD Michelle Mulherin has welcomed confirmation she has now received from the Tanaiste and Minister for Social Protection Joan Burton that financial assistance will be provided to landlords of private rented houses towards the cost of repairs to their flood damaged properties where the landlord has no flood insurance.
She said this week: "I am delighted with this good news for landlords in Crossmolina. I had called on the Minister to extend the humanitarian assistance scheme provided by her Department to rented houses. A number of rental properties in Crossmolina have been rendered uninhabitable by flood damage. Tenants understandably have vacated these houses and landlords are left with a big bill to clean and repair their properties but without having any flood insurance. These landlords should be treated like any business and assistance provided.
"This follows on from the formal announcement by Government at the beginning of the month of the pilot scheme for Crossmolina, the Individual Property Protection project, for individual home protection measures like the installation of flood gates in the short term while the construction of sanctioned permanent flood defences is awaited. This is an OPW funded scheme which will be realised in conjunction with Mayo County Council, landlords can apply for assistance to the community welfare officer at the local Intreo office in Ballina. I have requested Junior Minister Simon Harris with special responsibility for the OPW to provide a similar scheme to be rolled out to affected premises in other areas including Ballina, Foxford and South Mayo."
