Some Cork families still awaiting aid payments to repair homes following Storm Babet

More than 920 payments totalling almost €2m have been paid to households in Cork and Kerry following damage caused during Storm Babet last October.

€1.88m has been paid out from a humanitarian fund set up by the Department of Social Protection following the October deluge.

Some families in estates such as Copper Valley Vue in Glanmire have reported that they have experienced difficulties securing some of the payments needed to restore their homes.

Insurance

Many residents in Glanmire and Midleton and other areas impacted by the flooding were unable to get flood insurance as they had previously claimed for flood damage and are still waiting for the implementation of flood relief schemes. In the case of Midleton, this is some years away, while in Glanmire, a flood relief scheme is being put in place at present but the works to protect Copper Valley Vue, for instance, won’t begin until July this year.

When the department’s scheme was established immediately following the flooding in October, it adopted a three-stage approach.

Stage 1 provides emergency income support payments (for items such as food, clothing and personal items) in the immediate aftermath of the flooding.

Stage 2 involves the replacement of white goods, basic furniture items and other essential household items.

Stage 3 is to identify what longer term financial support is required, including plastering, dry-lining, relaying of floors, electrical re-wiring and painting.

Speaking to The Echo, some residents said they had received an initial payment immediately following the flooding and, later, a further payment for white goods. Subject to assessment, households can expect a third payment for structural damage to dwellings.

Up to now most households have received the first two payments, an average of €2,000 each.

Damage

However, some householders have reported damage amounting to €60,000-€80,000, while other households have bills for a quarter of that amount.

Claims for these repairs would need to be backed up by estimates from three different builders, and claimants would need to provide details of all bank accounts to ensure their income was within the limits of €50,000 for a single person, €90,000 for a couple, and €15,000 for each dependent child. Each home would be inspected by an insurance assessor.

The department has said that, subject to households being within the increased income limits set out, they could receive up to 100% of restoring the houses to their pre-flood state.

Up to now, people who spoke to The Echo have said they have received approximately €2,000 in total in respect of the first two stages of the promised aid. One couple said that they’ve had to take on extra hours at work to meet the costs of the repairs they’ve had to carry out to be able to live in their homes again, while waiting for the third payment to come and for which they applied before Christmas.

Payments

Responding to a query from The Echo about the breakdown of the payments for each stage, a spokesperson for the Department of Social Protection said that such a breakdown wasn’t possible.

“Following Storm Babet, over 920 payments have been made to people in Cork and Waterford, up to the week ending 3rd February, through the scheme totalling just over €1.88m,” the spokesperson said. “It is not possible to show a breakdown of the supports provided.

“Any homeowner affected in Cork or Waterford who needs to access this support can contact the Community Welfare Service at 0818 60 70 80.

“The situation on the ground continues to be monitored and our staff are engaging with the local authorities and other agencies to ensure supports are being provided to those affected as swiftly as possible.”