A steering group set up to oversee a national programme for flood risk assessment did not meet during a four year period before November 2014, a report has revealed.

According to the Strategic for Planning and Flood Risk report the steering group was one of three groups established to address specific areas of flood policy implementation at a more detailed level.

Sinn Féin MEP Matt Carthy raised serious concerns over the issue.

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He said: "One of its main objectives was to produce flood hazard maps, flood risk maps and flood risk management plans.

"However, the group has only met three times since being established - May 2009, November 2010 and November 2014.

"And not only did the group fail to meet over a period of four years, it also failed to submit all of the required flood risk and flood hazard maps, as outlined by the EU Floods Directive, on time.

"Following the devastation, damage and losses that the people of Ireland were subjected to as a result of flooding in the past number of years, I find this lack of action to be a total insult and the committee has failed those affected.

"It is wholly inexcusable and I call on the steering committee to meet the deadlines and criteria outlined by the EU Floods Directive as a matter of urgency."

(CD/LM)