Financial support available to Kilkenny businesses and organisations impacted by recent flooding

Fine Gael TD for Carlow-Kilkenny, John Paul Phelan, has confirmed small businesses, sports clubs and community and voluntary organisations across Kilkenny and other counties impacted by flooding can now apply for support through two emergency schemes.

Minister for Enterprise, Trade and Employment, Simon Coveney, has opened two Emergency Business Flooding Schemes for impacted organisations unable to secure flood insurance and affected by recent flooding.

"While we have tackled flooding in certain parts of Kilkenny, the scenes of utter devastation in Inistioge, Ferrybank, Ballycallan and elsewhere are heartbreaking and it will take a very long time for homeowners, businesses and communities to recover," Deputy Phelan said.

"These schemes need to be open and transparent, devoid of red tape and easy to follow. All intending applicants are advised that they should get their claim in now as this Scheme is likely to be in key demand, given the flooding we’ve seen across the South and South East of the country.”

Minister Coveney stated the schemes have been set up to provide urgent assistance to businesses that were unable, through no fault of their own, to get insurance to help with the costs of repairing the damage caused by flooding.

“Given the unprecedented level of damage caused by Storm Babet, I am happy to be able to offer an enhanced version of the scheme that should be of assistance to businesses that suffered exceptional damage. As with similar weather events in the past, the Irish Red Cross will administer and make payments under the schemes on behalf of my Department," Mr Coveney commented.

The standard Emergency Business Flooding Scheme will have two stages:

• The first stage will commence immediately and will provide a contribution of up to €5,000, depending on the scale of damage incurred. The intention is to process payments as fast as possible.

•  If the premises have incurred significant damages above €5,000, businesses can apply for additional financial support, following an assessment by the Irish Red Cross.  The total level of support available for both stages combined will be capped at €20,000.

Due to the exceptional severity of the flooding in some areas, the Government has agreed to activate an Enhanced Emergency Business Flooding Scheme that provides higher levels of financial support for businesses that have been severely affected in certain locations.

Application forms for support will be available on the Irish Red Cross Society website: www.redcross.ie and the closing date for applications is December 1.