Eye-watering figures to be spent on tackling future flood threats

There will be up to €430 million spent in the next five years to help prevent any future flood crisis in the country.

The government reportedly have a €430 million capital investment plan laid out to spend on flood risk investment works over the next half of a decade, which is more than the amount allocated towards that sector in the past 20 years.

Last night, sources from the government said that the recent storms and flooding has cost the state around €60 million, with Environment Minister Alan Kelly seeking an extra €10 million to pay for local authority staff costs following Storm Desmond and Storm Frank.

Last month saw the highest ever rainfall recorded in the month of December, and despite experts stating that it is unlikely that we will see a repeat of that in the near future, it is necessary to strengthen flood defences all over the country.