I propose to take Questions Nos. 489 to 498, inclusive, and 500 to 508, inclusive, together.
The Humanitarian Assistance Scheme, administered by my department through the local Community Welfare Services (CWS) was activated on Thursday 23 January 2025 to assist householders affected across the country by Storm Éowyn.
The Humanitarian Assistance Scheme (HAS) is operated in 3 stages. Stage 1 of the scheme is to address hardship in the immediate aftermath of a severe weather event and provides emergency support payments to cover food and other essential costs. This stage of humanitarian assistance is to help people with the essentials of life – food, water, shelter and warmth.
Up to 18 March 2025, the CWS registered over 73,500 claims nationally for Stage 1 of the Humanitarian Assistance Scheme and just over 27,475 claims have been awarded with a total of over €6.5 million being paid in respect of Storm Éowyn related claims.
There has been no change to eligibility criteria nor has there been any decision to refuse a percentage of applications. Every individual application is assessed and payments are made based on the information provided by the applicant and the eligibility of the request under HAS.
The majority of payments made to people to date as a result of Storm Éowyn have been to meet the additional cost of feeding their families in the immediate aftermath of the storm where people remained without power and/or water. The scheme does not provide a general compensation payment for damage or losses incurred as a consequence of a weather event. All decisions, positive and negative have a right of review.
In recognition of the unprecedented nature and extent of the event that was Storm Éowyn, Stage 1 applications continue to be accepted for a longer period than would normally be the case after the onset of the storm. This allows people who may not have had the opportunity submit a claim in a timely manner to make an application.
If a customer is not satisfied with the outcome of their HAS application, they can request a review of the decision to SWA Central Review Officer, PO BOX 700, FREEPOST, Dublin 22. They should set out the reason why they believe they have an entitlement to a payment for example for accommodation, or additional food costs, while their power was out. They should include as much information as possible.
Stage 2 and 3 payments, which are typically for household goods and property damage, are open for application in respect of losses incurred. Stage 2 and 3 claims are only paid where the losses are not covered by insurance; where there is a valid reason for non-insurance and where the person can show they do not have the resources to cover the losses themselves. These are reasonable checks to ensure that the state does not take on a liability for losses that should properly be covered by insurance.
As has always been the case, HAS does not cover costs or losses that should properly be covered by home insurance. For clarity spoiled freezer food is covered by standard home insurance and should be claimed under insurance cover.
My Department cannot provide a breakdown analysis of claims between East Galway and the rest of County Galway, nor can it provide the details of HAS payments made per stage. However, I can advise you that the CWS registered just over 24,066 claims in for County Galway, of which, over 9,337 claims received payment. A total of €2.3 million has been awarded in County Galway in respect of Storm Éowyn related claims, with an average award of €247.46.
Until claim processing is completed my department cannot provide information on the average timeframes, the number of disallowed claims, the number of reviews received, or the number of those being overturned.
However, I can assure the Deputy that claim processing levels within the CWS are closely monitored and that HAS claims are being processed as quickly as possible, with priority given to the most urgent cases. Additional staff have been assigned to deal with applications to ensure there are no undue delays. Where an immediate need presented in the aftermath of the storm these claims were paid by way of a cheque payment ‘on the spot’ by a Community Welfare Officer. The focus for the Department at the moment remains on ensuring that payments will issue as soon as possible to those eligible for the payment.
I trust this clarifies the matter for the Deputy.
