Mayo TD says flood defence failures must not be exploited

Sinn Féin spokesperson on Enterprise, Tourism and Employment, Rose Conway-Walsh TD, has said that insurers cannot be allowed to exploit ordinary people because of the government’s failure to properly invest in flood defence.

Deputy Conway-Walsh was responding after Insurance Ireland recently proposed a new levy on households to fund insurance cover for homes in high-risk flood areas.

Teachta Conway-Walsh said: “The increased threat of flooding is here to stay and the response required is a long-term infrastructure plan that is acted upon by the government. This cannot be a situation where the government caves to an insurance industry looking to make a quick buck off the misery of ordinary people.

“Insurance Ireland’s proposal is no more than an attempt to exploit and profit from communities left defenceless to the increased threat of flooding because of consistent government failure. The only long-term solution to this is to have the proper government investment in infrastructure and long-term sustainable planning solutions.

“What we cannot allow is insurance companies holding communities to ransom. The insurance industry is already making substantial profits. The public can see from the annual eye-watering profits that insurance companies make that the industry never loses.

“Pearse Doherty has time and time again brought forward legislation to hold the insurance companies to account, only to have the insurance industry run rings around government The government's job is to protect people - to protect people from flooding, to protect people from the cost of living and to protect people from profiteering.

“Our communities know very well what needs to be done to protect their homes and businesses from the threat of flooding. The government needs to start listening to them, and expedite investment in infrastructure and planning for flood defences.”