The Community Welfare Service (CWS) can provide assistance to households in the immediate aftermath of a flooding and/or severe weather events through the Humanitarian Assistance Scheme.

Persons/households affected by flooding and/or severe weather events where HAS has been activated can contact the CWS for assistance by telephoning 0818 60 70 80 or by calling to any Intreo Centre.

Details on how to access the CWS are available on Gov.ie

The purpose of the humanitarian assistance scheme is to provide income-tested financial support to people whose homes are damaged and who are not able to meet costs for essential needs, household items and, in some instances, structural repair.

•       Assistance is not available under the scheme for losses which are already covered by insurance.

•       The scheme does not cover commercial, agricultural, or business losses.

•       Any additional properties that are not occupied and lived in as the applicant’s primary residence are not covered. 

Assessment of need and income for HAID are carried out by Community Welfare Officers (CWOs) who are appointed as Designated Persons to operate Department of Social Protection (DSP) policy and guidelines for this scheme.

Following a flooding and/or a severe weather event where HAS has been activated, Community Welfare Staff are available to engage in communities with the relevant local authorities and other agencies and persons/households affected.

In dealing with emergency events the DSP generally adopts a three-stage approach as follows:

Stage 1 provides for emergency income support payments in the immediate aftermath of an event/incident (e.g. for food/bedding/clothing/personal items).

Any persons affected by the flooding in Galway and who needs Stage 1 HAS assistance should contact CWS by telephoning 0818 60 70 80 or by calling to meet with a CWO at Galway Intreo Centre 53°16'30.5"N 9°02'44.2"W 

Stage 2 involves the replacement of white goods, basic furniture items and other essential household items. The HAID claim application form is available on Gov.ie and completed forms from persons/households seeking assistance should be returned to the Community Welfare Service in any Intreo Centre.

Stage 3 is to identify what longer term financial support is required, including plastering, dry-lining, relaying of floors, electrical re-wiring and painting.

Levels of payment under the HAS scheme depend on the relative severity of damage experienced and the household’s ability to meet these costs ensuring that the funding is appropriately targeted.

•       The basic principle of the income test is that individuals and families with average levels of income will qualify for assistance (including non-Social Welfare recipients).

•       The scheme does not cover risks that are covered by insurance policies or cover business or commercial losses.

•       The Department of Enterprise Trade and Employment operate a similar scheme to provide assistance to commercial operations affected.

See the Department Press Release