Office of Public Works: The Government paid out €13.5 million in humanitarian aid to hundreds of flood victims in 2002, even though half of the claimants had insurance cover.
Following adverse weather conditions in February 2002, an emergency flood relief scheme was established for victims, mainly in the Ringsend area of Dublin, a few months before the general election.
Another humanitarian assistance scheme was set up in November of 2002 following flooding in Dublin, Meath, Cork City and parts of Kilkenny and Wexford.
The Office of Public Works (OPW) requested the Irish Red Cross to implement the scheme. However there was no means test or system to check the accuracy of applicants' claims that they did not have insurance cover.
Just over 1,400 claimants received average awards of around €9,000, while 27 businesses received awards averaging €9,500.
An audit of the payments later found that 58 per cent of claimants from the February floods and 52 per cent of the November claimants had insurance cover.
The comptroller found there were no formal procedures to check the accuracy of applicants' claims that they did not have insurance cover. He also found that the OPW did not seek or provide guidelines to the Red Cross for the approval, administration, or control of the aid schemes. The OPW also did not provide guidance on means testing.
The comptroller said the amount allocated for humanitarian aid was "far in excess of anything that had gone before", and he asked the OPW's accounting officer if he was satisfied with controls in place to administer the scheme.
The accounting officer said the drafting of a formal agreement with the Red Cross was not considered necessary because of the "reputation, professional expertise and proven track record" of the organisation.
While family income and insurance were taken into consideration by the Red Cross in assessing a person's ability to cope with the flooding, these factors did not exclude receipt of humanitarian aid.
The comptroller noted a Government review of national flood policy has made several "important recommendations" over the administration of any future humanitarian aid schemes.
