Secretary of State's Facebook remarks on flood disaster '˜insensitive'

Theresa Villiers posted a photograph of herself and the chief of the Rivers Agency in Northern Ireland at the sluice gates at Toomebridge.

However in comments posted underneath the Secretary of State said: “It’s times like this that I am grateful that I live on top of a hill.”

Posting on her official page as MP for Chipping Barnet, Ms Villiers said she had a ‘useful’ visit to Toomebridge to see the sluice gates which control the water level at Lough Neagh.

However many businesses on the south shore of Lough Neagh have been severely flooded due to the high levels of the lough.

And there are at least 20 jobs in jeopardy at Kinnego Marina alone due to the disaster.

However a number of local businesses directly affected by the flooding have voiced fury at the remarks branding them as ‘insensitive’.

One queried why the Secretary of State had not visited anyone affected by the floods, though her boss Prime Minister David Cameron visited Cumbria on a number of occasions during their flood crisis.

Theresa Villiers also posted on her Facebook: “I have huge sympathy with all those who have had their homes or businesses flooded and everyone affected by flood-related disuption around places such as Lough Neagh and in Fermanagh. I welcome the coordinated work done by the Rivers Agency and other services, and the NI Executive, to provide assistance, and very much hope the £1.3 million of extra funding from the Chancellor will also help.”

The Northern Ireland Office has been asked for a comment.