Winter Storm Damage potentially eligible for EU Solidarity Fund

MEP Kelly to meet EU Regional Policy Chief

In the aftermath of the storm damage across Ireland over the last number of days, Sean Kelly MEP has written to EU Regional Policy Commissioner Johannes Hahn to request an urgent meeting on the deployment of the €1bn EU Solidarity Fund.  MEP Kelly is a member of the Parliament’s Regional Development Committee, which oversees the Fund.

 “The storm damage is horrifying and unprecedented in nature.  The EU Solidarity Fund is designed to aid member states faced with such devastation caused by natural disasters,” explained MEP Kelly.

“It is of critical importance that aid is directed swiftly to affected communities to ensure there is a quick reconstruction of the affected infrastructure,” he added.

“Ireland received aid from the EU Solidarity Fund following the flooding of November 2009 following a meeting I had with then Commissioner Samecki, so I would be hopeful that Commissioner Hahn will look favourably on our request,” said MEP Kelly.

“Of particular note is the critical damage done to the infrastructure of smaller communities such as Tramore in Co Waterford, Lahinch in Co Clare, Foynes in Co Limerick, Rossbeigh and Ballybunion in Co Kerry amongst many other parts of Ireland.

“Bearing in mind extensive damage has also been done to cities such as Cork and Galway, including to critical flood defence infrastructure, the total bill for the recovery will stretch to hundreds of millions of euro and thus ensure that Ireland is eligible for the EU Solidarity Fund,” he concluded.

 

Editor’s Note:

• The European Union Solidarity Fund (EUSF) was set up to respond to major natural disasters and express European solidarity to disaster-stricken regions within Europe.

• The Fund was created as a reaction to the severe floods in Central Europe in the summer of 2002. Since then, it has been used for 56 disasters covering a range of different catastrophic events including floods, forest fires, earthquakes, storms and drought. 23 different European countries have been supported so far for an amount of more than 3.5 billion €.

• In 2010 Ireland received €13 million in funding following the floods of November 2009.