Dáil Éireann Debate, Tuesday - 28 July 2026
822. Deputy John Brady asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Finance the position regarding the work of the recently established flood insurance protection gap working group; their terms of reference and planned work programme; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [58961/26]
View answerThe Government remains committed to protecting Ireland’s present and future generations by investing in climate adaptation measures to manage the impacts of extreme weather. Accordingly, €1.3 billion has been committed to the delivery of flood relief schemes over the lifetime of the National Development Plan (NDP) to 2030. This will protect approximately 23,000 properties across various communities from river and coastal flood risk.
In terms of flood insurance, the Central Bank of Ireland has undertaken extensive research into the nature and scale of the Flood Protection Gap in Ireland. They found that 1 in 20 buildings (approximately 5%) have limited access to flood insurance; and that 54% of this gap is concentrated in Dublin, Cork, Louth, Clare, and Kildare.
Building on the work carried out by the Central Bank, the Action Plan for Insurance Reform 2025-2029 includes 4 specific actions on flood and climate protection. With respect to Action 17 of the Action Plan, the Department of Finance is currently engaging with multiple stakeholders on the development of a long-term strategic approach to the provision of flood insurance, to consider potential solutions, specific to Ireland, to increase the availability and affordability of flood insurance.
Following discussions at the Cabinet Sub-Committee on Insurance Reform in May, it was agreed that a Flood Insurance Protection Gap Working Group would be established.
