8 December 2015
By Bryan T. Smyth
bryan@TheCork.ie
At their meeting today the Government decided to establish a fund of €5m to aid small businesses which have suffered damage to their property in the current flooding. The fund will be administered on behalf of the Government by the Red Cross.
Welcoming the decision, the Minister for Defence, Mr. Simon Coveney TD said “I welcome this recognition by Government of the impact of the floods on businesses. The impact in the peak Christmas period for businesses is particularly severe”.
The fund is intended for businesses in towns recognised to be at flood risk by the OPW and which have been unable to get flood risk insurance.
The detailed criteria will be finalised in the coming days
Speaking to TheCork.ie West Cork Fine Gael TD Jim Daly said the scheme will be administered by the Irish Red Cross and will have a maximum value of €15,000 per application.
“I welcome this development and believe it is a positive gesture for businesses from the state at their hour of need. Having stressed the dire situation for Bandon traders to the Taoiseach, I reminded the Taoiseach that we would be the first to offer help if this humanitarian crisis happened anywhere else in the world. It is only proper we look after small businesses which are the lifeline of our economy.” stated Jim Daly who also expressed his appreciation to Minister Simon Coveney who visited Bandon on Monday to view first hand the devastation caused by storm Desmond and Ministers Brendan Howlin and Simon Harris who also supported this measure.
