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Tánaiste Announces Humanitarian Support Scheme for Flooding in Kenmare and South West

Up to €20,000 emergency funding available for small business, sports clubs, community and voluntary organisations

 

The Tánaiste and Minister for Enterprise, Trade and Employment Leo Varadkar T.D. today (Tuesday the 4th of August 2020) opened a Scheme which will provide urgent funding to small businesses, community and voluntary organisations in the South West region who have been affected by recent flooding due to heavy rainfall.

 

The Emergency Humanitarian Scheme provides urgent funding to small businesses, sports clubs, community and voluntary organisations who could not secure flood insurance and have premises that have been damaged by recent exceptional weather events.

 

The Tánaiste said:

 Flood damage can have a devastating impact on local communities, especially small businesses and voluntary and community organisations that have already been dealt an enormous blow with Covid-19. This Scheme is designed to provide urgent help to those who have not been able to secure flood insurance, providing up to €20,000 in cash for emergency repairs and replacement of damaged stock or equipment. We must do everything we can to help Kenmare rebound from this and get back its feet quickly. The town has endured a double whammy from Covid and the flooding, but the Government is on hand to help.

 

Businesses, sporting, voluntary and community organisations can use the funding to return their premises to their pre-flood condition, including the replacement of flooring, fixtures and fittings and damaged stock where relevant.

 

Minister for Education Norma Foley T.D. said:

This is a positive development for businesses and local organisations in the Kenmare area who have been affected by floods this past July. This has been a challenging year for every organisation and recent flood damages have added to difficulties. It is my hope that this funding will go some way towards helping businesses and organisations find their feet again. I would like to thank the Tánaiste and Minister for Enterprise, Trade and Employment for his work to put this funding in place.

 

Minister of State for Office of Public Works Patrick O’Donovan T.D. said:

I visited Kenmare last week and saw first-hand the damage caused by the recent flooding and met with some of those worst affected. I am pleased to confirm the OPW’s commitment to progressing a €5.43m flood relief scheme for Kenmare, for which funding has already been secured.  I am aware that work is now well underway between my officials in the OPW and staff in Kerry County Council, to procure engineering consultants within the coming weeks to progress this scheme.

 I am also aware that my officials in the OPW have undertaken detailed analysis and design to develop a solution to flooding on the N70 at Sneem and the Atlantic Gateway development.  I am advised that Kerry County Council will be submitting an application for funding for these works under the OPW’s Minor Flood Mitigation and Coastal Protection Scheme in the near future. 

I am very keen that the Local Authorities, and my officials in the OPW, continue to work closely together to identify works to mitigate flood risk around the region – both through the measures identified in the FRMPs, and through the OPW Minor Flood Mitigation Works and Coastal Protection Scheme.

Brendan Griffin T.D. said:

 I’m glad that the government has answered my call to have Kenmare included in this important scheme and I hope that businesses will find that this contribution helps as they try and recover from this set back.”