Flood victims devastated as state refuses to re-locate them

The Government is set to announce that 20 families are to be relocated following the flooding disaster in November 2009 – but there’s shock news for one devastated County Galway household who didn’t make the list despite damage to the foundations of their home once submerged under three feet of water.

The family house was further damaged by the big freeze last year – so much so that its foundations are now unstable.

But despite their best efforts to be relocated, the Keogh family from Carnmore were devastated to learn that their application was not successful and now have nowhere to turn.

It is understood that there were around a dozen applications from County Galway from those whose homes suffered extensive damage from the floods but only two have been accommodated with new houses.

In total the Government received 32 application from across the country under the flood relocation scheme and just 20 of these have been successful.

The Keoghs are not one of these and they have expressed their devestation at not having a home to move back into and remain in rented accommodation.

The Government will have spend €50,000 on paying the rent for this family over a five year period when this money could have been allocated towards the provision of a new house.

Margaret Keogh, her husband Ned and their three children Dylan (10), Jason (7) and Lauren (3) have been living in rented accommodation since the flooding. They haven’t spent Christmas in the same house since their ordeal.

“We just don’t know what to do. We have lost faith in Government departments and politicians to the extent that we just don’t believe anyone anymore,” Margaret said and added that they had been advised to go on the Council housing list.

See full story in this week's Connacht Tribune.