A woman from Newry expressed her distress over communications from her local council, which requested that she return flood relief funds that were allegedly issued in error. Loretta Gallagher, who operates a textile art and gift shop, received £7,500 from the Newry, Mourne and Down District Council after applying for assistance. However, the council later informed her that she did not qualify for the program and asked her to repay the funds.

Initially, Ms. Gallagher was sent an invoice for the repayment, but shortly thereafter, she received an email indicating that the invoice had been sent by mistake. A council spokesperson stated that they do not comment on individual business applications.

Following heavy rain in October 2023, the Newry canal overflowed, resulting in significant flooding across parts of the city. Ms. Gallagher’s shop is situated on the first floor of a building in Sugar Island, one of the worst-hit areas. She described that the floodwaters reached six feet at the front of her building and remained submerged for nearly a week. Consequently, she had to close her business for seven months.

Describing her shop’s condition during this time, Ms. Gallagher noted that it resembled a construction site with persistent dampness, frequent power outages, and structural damage. In November, she applied for a grant designated for businesses affected by flooding. An environmental health officer from the council assessed her premises and subsequently approved her application for funding.

However, in early January, Ms. Gallagher received a call from the council stating that an error had occurred regarding her grant eligibility and that she needed to return the money. By then, she had already utilized the funds to help restore her business after it faced severe setbacks due to flooding.

Ms. Gallagher made it clear that she felt entitled to the support as she had been directly impacted by the disaster. After several months without communication from the council, just days before the anniversary of the flood, she received another invoice demanding repayment within 14 days. She stated that repaying this money would jeopardize her business.

Recently, Ms. Gallagher received another email from the council indicating that the previous invoice should have been withheld pending further discussions. This left her confused and uncertain about what would happen next.

In light of these events, Eamonn Connolly from Newry Business Improvement District expressed his concern regarding Ms. Gallagher’s situation. He emphasized that while mistakes can occur, proper communication is essential to address issues like hers effectively and compassionately, especially given how deeply affected she has been by the floods.