Firemen’s car insurance trebles following Storm Callum flooding

Two Galway firemen, who were on duty defending the city against the worst effects of a recent storm, returned to find their cars flooded . . . and now their insurance premiums have trebled.

Chief Executive of Galway City Council, Brendan McGrath, has agreed to raise their plight with Kevin Kelly, his counterpart in Galway County Council, which operates the Fire Services for the city and county.

Councillor Ollie Crowe raised the issue at this week’s meeting of Galway City Council – he said he was having difficulty getting a positive response from County Hall on the firefighters’ behalf.

Cllr Crowe commended the work of Galway Fire Service. He said that during one of the latest storms, two fire officers were “out protecting our city and county and when they returned to their cars in the Claddagh they were flooded”.

To add insult to injury, he said, the insurance premiums for the duo “have increased threefold”. Cllr Crowe raised the matter with staff in Galway City Council, and also flagged it at County Hall, but he urged Mr McGrath to use whatever influence he has to help the two emergency service workers get a resolution.

Meanwhile, the dispute between both Councils over the cost of providing shared services hasn’t yet been resolved.

Mr McGrath, in response to questions from Cllr Pádraig Conneely, said that he was close to concluding a deal on outstanding monies owed for shared services such as library and fire brigade.

Cllr Conneely said that the City Council paid some €1.8 million for the bid to win the European Capital of Culture; and the County Council didn’t contribute anything, claiming it was owed for shared services. He said an independent adjudicator was appointed in 2015 to ascertain who owed what but three years on and there was no conclusion.