Deadline looming for Storm Babet flood protection grants
Cork During Flooding County Council In Picture: Midleton Babet Storm
Householders and businesses in East Cork who were victims of Storm Babet flooding are being reminded they have until noon on Monday, November 11, to apply for grant aid.
The grants are designed to fund protection measures for their properties — against the risk of further flooding — such as purchasing ‘flood gates.’ The county council has been given €5.8m by the OPW to administer the grant aid under the Individual Property Protection scheme (IPP).
It is estimated some 920 homeowners and businesses in the region could be eligible for the grant.
While Midleton bore the brunt of the storm which hit in October 2023, there were many other villages and areas in the East Cork region which suffered as well.
Cork County Council has developed an online application portal for the IPP grants.
Eligible properties will have to be inspected by an independent engineer, who will assess if the property is suitable for IPP measures.
The council has said there will be two application models for people whose properties flooded during Storm Babet.
The first model is a local authority-led one, with Cork County Council managing the sourcing and installation of the flood mitigation measures.
If an applicant is deemed eligible, the council will arrange for an engineer to visit the property and undertake an independent review of its suitability.
Where a property is deemed suitable to receive IPP by the independent engineer, the council will source the specified IPP and where necessary a contractor to undertake any builders’ works/ accommodation works required.
This model will require no outlay from property owners.
The second model is a retrospective one, where property owners who have already bought and installed appropriate IPP measures since Storm Babet can avail of a grant reimbursing them, subject to terms and conditions.
County council chief executive Moira Murrell said the local authority had been working closely with the OPW to mitigate against the risk of flooding in Midleton and across the wider East Cork area.
Mayor of the County of Cork Fianna Fáil councillor Joe Carroll said he hoped the IPP measures would help to safeguard homes and businesses that have already been hit so badly.
People interested in acquiring the IPP grant aid can get more information by visiting Cork County Council's website.
Applicants who require assistance in registering can contact Cork County Council by telephone at (021) 427 6619, or email ipp@corkcoco.ie.
The council says in addition to this grant aid, it is currently progressing interim flood prevention works in Midleton, Castlemartyr, Mogeely, Rathcormac, and Killeagh.
In addition, last September, the minister in charge of the OPW, Kieran O’Donnell, approved a grant to the local authority of €150,000 to progress specific minor works to mitigate flood risk in Castlemartyr and Killeagh.