Government to seek approval to reopen flood support scheme after Storm Bert
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Minister for Enterprise Peter Burke has confirmed that his Department will seek Government approval to reopen the Emergency Humanitarian Flooding Scheme.
The scheme provides vital support to businesses unable to secure flood insurance and affected by severe weather events.
A major cleanup operation is underway nationwide after Storm Bert caused widespread flooding and damage to homes and businesses over the past 24 hours.
Towns and villages across Cork, Kerry, Limerick, Galway, and Donegal were hardest hit, experiencing torrential flooding.
In Riverstick, The Flour House bakery flooded again during the downpour, just months after suffering damage from Storm Babet in 2023.
Minister Burke stated that his Department is liaising with the Department of Housing and local authorities to address the crisis.
“I fully appreciate the trauma and distress that such a flood event has on our vitally important local businesses, particularly at this time of year and would like to assure traders that I will be working across Government to assist businesses as required,” he said.
Ahead of the storm, Met Éireann had issued red weather alerts for Cork and Galway, warning of severe flooding and potential damage.
These were followed by yellow wind alerts for 11 counties, including Cork, Kerry, Waterford, and Donegal.
The yellow wind alert expired early Sunday, but strong winds and fallen trees created hazardous travel conditions, complicating cleanup efforts.
In Cork, the County Council’s incident response phase has ended, and cleanup operations are underway. Roads including the N72 Park Road Mallow remain closed, while the N82 Fermoy Bridge and the N71 between Bandon and Innishannon have reopened.
Up to 66mm of rainfall was recorded in Dunmanway, Co Cork, before midnight.
Uisce Éireann is working to resolve water supply interruptions caused by Storm Bert. Mechanical issues at the Clonakilty Water Treatment Plant in Cork have impacted production, affecting customers in areas such as Clonakilty, Lisavaird, and Shannonvale.
In Kerry, water services were disrupted after floods caused a bridge to collapse in Sneem, cutting off the main supply.
Bulk water containers have been deployed as an alternative. Uisce Éireann crews have been working to repair the damage but warn that snowy conditions and storm impacts are delaying progress.
The Gearha Water Treatment Plant, which supplies mid-Kerry areas including Killorglin and Beaufort, has also experienced disruptions.
Crews are investigating and working to repair burst pipes, but restoration may take several days.
Severe flooding on major routes in Kerry has largely receded, including the N22 near Glenflesk and the N69 through Listowel, which has reopened after the Feale River burst its banks. Minor roads in the area remain impassable.
The Five Mile Bridge on the N71 Killarney to Kenmare Road continues to be monitored after the lakes of Killarney overflowed. Kerry County Council crews are actively pumping water to reduce levels.
Cleanup efforts across the affected areas are ongoing as communities recover from the storm’s impact.