Nobody will grudge the traders and business people of Midleton the rapid response of Government following the flooding that affected the town. Compensation of up to €100,000 has been promised and I have no doubt it will be delivered. The same will have to apply in Carlingford and presumably Newry.

It should, however, be borne in mind that Midleton has flooded badly many times in the past – as did Clonmel before its effective flood defences were installed. Given the history, it seems odd that Midleton has not been similarly protected. What is more odd, is that farmers whose crops have been destroyed and are unharvested, have received nothing like the attention and promise of compensation as has the business community of Midleton.

The weather events of 2023, especially in east Cork and the southeast of the country, bring into focus if people can protect themselves against exceptional losses. This, after all, is the basic idea of insurance. While we all carry insurance to cover cars and buildings subject to normal risks, insurance companies are understandably wary of taking on cases that are more likely to result in expensive claims in the event of exceptional weather.

There are instances all over the country where flood insurance is not available to householders and they have to live with the lack of cover by attempting to ensure that expensive IT equipment and furnishings, etc, are kept above the level likely to be affected by occasional floods.

Farmers do not have that option. If crops are planted on arable land that, year in and year out in the past have been harvested in the normal way and are lost this year, then the rainfall records are available to determine if in fact there were exceptional weather factors to be considered.

This seems to be the case this year, especially in parts of Wexford and areas of neighbouring counties. Farming has always been weather dependent. Yield and quality vary with the prevailing conditions, but where these are verifiably exceptional, I cannot see why affected farmers should be treated differently to urban dwellers.

For the longer term, if we are in a time of fundamental climate change, farmers, insurance companies and Government – both local and national – will have to get together and see what type of equitable schemes can be developed. There are several international examples that can be teased out. There must be a limit to the burdens the State can be expected to shoulder, but that shouldn’t prevent a sensible policy being developed.