Call For Euro Assistance For Flooding

Fianna Fail's Pat The Cope Gallagher has said the Government should apply for funding to assist with the clean up of the recent deluge.

Speaking yesterday evening, The Cope said that restoration costs, while too early to estimate accurately, could be up to €500 million, while putting the appropriate preventative measures in place to ensure the scale of flooding would not reoccur again would "cost billions".

The Cope said: "Many people in my European constituency including in the counties of Galway, Mayo, Clare, Sligo, Leitrim and Roscommon as well as the South of Ireland have been affected by the horrendous flooding in recent days.

"Unfortunately, with high tides and continuous rain it appears that the situation may even deteriorate further.

"I am appealing to the European Commission to assist in a pragmatic, urgent and favourable manner."

Meanwhile Labour MEP Alan Kelly said in the European Parliament in Strasbourg yesterday that the Taoiseach needed to apply for euro flood funding.

Mr Kelly said: "I call on President Barosso and Commissioner Samecki to look favourably on any application received from Ireland for assistance under the EU Solidarity Fund and in particular I call on the Irish government to contact the Commission urgently with a view to submitting an application to the them.

“It is vital that the EU and this Parliament extend its support to the various communities in Ireland that have suffered such horrendous damage in recent days.”

Mr Kelly went on to say that half the population of the city of Cork were without water in their homes while University College Cork had to shutdown for the entire week with many students effectively homeless.

"Shopowners, householders and farmers are facing bills running into hundreds of millions of euro after the worst flooding ever witnessed in living memory in Cork, Tipperary, Limerick and Galway in particular."

(DW/GK)