Addressing Ireland's growing flood protection gap: Insights from the Central Bank's latest report

Addressing Ireland's growing flood protection gap: Insights from the Central Bank's latest report

The Central Bank of Ireland recently published the Flood Protection Gap Report, which presents an in-depth analysis of the current and projected gaps in flood protection. Read on to learn more about JBA Group’s involvement in the project.

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Rising costs, insurance challenges, and the impact of climate change

Looking ahead, Ireland will face greater challenges as climate change intensifies. To mitigate this, we must strengthen both physical flood defences and financial resilience. Building robust flood protection and ensuring insurance accessibility will require coordinated efforts from all stakeholders involved in flood risk management.

Our colleagues at JBA Risk Management, in collaboration with Gamma and the Central Bank of Ireland, contributed detailed, high-resolution risk data that accounts for coastal, river, and surface water flooding to the recently published Flood Protection Gap Report.

The 'flood protection gap' refers to the disparity between the total economic cost of flood damage in Ireland and the portion covered by insurance. The report examines the present-day scenario and how this might change in the future, particularly in light of climate change.

The work analyses the accessibility of flood insurance and answers the question: if a home or commercial property seeks to have flood cover on their property insurance today, will it be available?

The report’s findings offer valuable insights:

  • Currently, 1 in 20 buildings in Ireland struggle to access flood insurance.
  • The average annual cost of inland flooding (river and surface water) is estimated at €101 million. In more severe events, losses could reach up to €510 million, an occurrence expected roughly once every 25 years.
  • As climate change progresses, Ireland is likely to experience increased rainfall, leading to more frequent and severe flood events, further widening the flood protection gap.
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Want to know more?

Visit our What We Do page for more information on our work in Flood Risk, Resilience, and Water Management, or contact us, and one of the team will contact you.

Projects

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Powerstown stream diversion and enhancement Link arrow Find out more
Oola Solar Farm Flood Risk Assessment

Covering an area of approximately 141 hectares, the site of the proposed Oola solar farm was in close proximity to a number of watercourses that presented a flood risk to the development. We were appointed to carry out an FRA to support the planning application for the site.

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Northern Quarter Citywest LVIA

Read more about how we provided Landscape and Visual Impact Assessments to support the planning application of Brownsbarn residential development.

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Land Use and Coverage Area frame Survey (LUCAS) Link arrow Find out more
Lough Muckno Biodiversity Study

Our ecologists provided a range of expertise to establish the baseline biodiversity of Lough Muckno to ensure its long-term protection and restore biodiversity. Read on to find out more.

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County Meath Strategic Flood Risk Assessment Link arrow Find out more
Supporting JASPERS with Environmental Assessment Project Reviews in Romania Link arrow Find out more
Farranshock Park residential development Link arrow Find out more
Culvert modelling and mitigation advice Link arrow Find out more
Quantum Logistics Park landscaping and sustainable urban drainage Link arrow Find out more
Baseline biodiversity studies for heritage sites Link arrow Find out more
Ballygarran Underpass Tralee-Fenit Greenway Link arrow Find out more
N65 Portumna Flood Investigation Link arrow Find out more
GKinetic Hydropower EIA Link arrow Find out more
Great Connell Strategic Housing Development FRA Link arrow Find out more
Lahinch Coastal Protection Scheme Link arrow Find out more
Myrtle Square and Convent Lane Greening Link arrow Find out more
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