Vol. 325 No. 1
asked the Minister for the Environment the arrangements being made to provide finance to meet the cost of restoration works following flooding in Mallow, County Cork; and whether the European Community has been requested to provide funds towards this end from its natural disaster fund.
14.
asked the Minister for the Environment whether the Government propose to take any steps to secure EEC funds for the alleviation of the severe effects of the recent serious flooding in the Blackwater area, County Cork; and, if not, why.
With the permission of the Ceann Comhairle, I propose to take Questions No. 13 and 14 together.
I understand from Cork County Council that the flood damage to local authority installations in Mallow was relatively slight and was confined mainly to roads. Any necesary remedial works in this regard can be dealt with within the existing system of road financing.
I have no details of damage to other property, but would remind the Deputies that there are no funds available to me to contribute towards the cost of such damage. As to aid from the EEC disaster fund, I am advised that the level of such aid tends to be very modest in comparison with the total sum involved in damage in any particular occurence and that, at present, all funds available are being assigned for aid in respect of the Italian earthquake. However, I am having examined further the question of an application for aid from the disaster fund in respect of the Mallow occurrence.
I am amazed at this answer. The Minister was in Mallow himself and saw the damage.
Put a question, Deputy, please.
It is amazing that the Minister should come along and say that we suffered only slight damage. The roads were the least of the trouble.
A question, please.
Would the Minister admit that there was substantial damage, in the region of almost £1 million, to property in Mallow?
I have no idea of the amount of damage done to private property in Mallow. I have as regards the damage to local authority property. I have been to Mallow and have seen, firsthand, the damage caused there, which was pretty severe. Indeed, as I said, we are considering making an appeal to the EEC disaster fund.
Surely the Minister should have done that five weeks ago. This is like talking about the damage in Hiroshima.
A question, please, Deputy.
Whatever element of urgency was there would be dissipated after five weeks. The Minister came down in all urgency and created a very good impression. What he has said is on videotape.
And may be used in evidence.
Deputy, a question, please.
And will be used in evidence.
This is a speech and we cannot allow it.
There is a fund and this happened long before the Italian disaster.
Would the Deputy please ask a question? This is a speech that the Deputy is making.
Have the Minister's Department put to the EEC a request for aid for Kanturk, Mallow and Fermoy— that is a simple question——
No.
——because of the substantial damage to private property amounting to almost £3 million which occurred five weeks ago? The Minister was down in County Cork the day after that.
In answer to the Deputy's question, there are no funds available in my Department——
That is not the question being asked.
——to deal with the hardships due to damage to private property in Mallow. I have given the answer as regards local authority problems there. We have not made any application to the EEC at present, but are actively considering making such a request to the disaster fund. Again, as I said, from our experience of such funds in other countries the amount of money made available is, indeed, very small.
It can be quite substantial, as we know what happened in Belgium.
The Minister came down to our constituency during my absence in Donegal and made a great impression. The most important thing is to follow up that impression. What steps did the Minister take on his return from County Cork? Did he do anything about the disaster, of which there was evidence before his two eyes? He knows himself that asking Cork County Council to do the restoration and repairs needed is not at all adequate. The county council have not enough money, as the Minister knows. No county council have enough to keep going for this year. As regards the question of EEC aid, I understand from his Department that they have applied for EEC aid. We wish to know the up-to-date position as regards this application. Do we now find that the Minister has not applied at all?
As I said in the beginning, I have no funds available to me to relieve in any way the hardship suffered by private individuals in their homes or business premises. I made that quite clear in any discussions I had with the people in Mallow. As regards making an application to the EEC, that is not my responsibility. There is a certain amount of work involved in putting an application together on a proper basis. Otherwise, it has not a chance of success. At present that is being considered.
If it is not the Minister's responsibility to make such an application, which Minister has that responsibility? What information is required in order to make such an application with a prospect of success? How long is it likely to take before the responsible Minister will have the additional information required to make an application?
I expect the Minister for Finance would make such an application.
Does the Minister know?
Very much so. With regard to the amount of work involved. I have no idea as to the total damage to private property.
Deputy Creed. This is a final supplementary. I have allowed numerous supplementaries.
We are not getting very much information.
He was only codding the people.
What towns in Cork County did the Minister visit? What commitment did he make to the representatives of the victims of the flooding? Is he aware that he informed those representatives that he would make the application to Brussels for aid from the disaster fund? Is he aware that his Department informed some of the representatives down there that no application was made and that they should have made one in writing? He assured them that everything was grand and he would do it. Is he aware that 30 days after the flooding, when the evidence is receding every day apart from the high water marks on the walls of the houses, it is ridiculous for him to talk about processing an application for aid from the disaster fund? Cork County Council are not aware of the damage done to private property and homes, but they are aware of the damage done to roads and bridges which are their concern. Has he taken any steps other than visiting the area for publicity purposes to assess the damage caused to the property of people in Kanturk, Mallow and Fermoy?
I want to put the record straight once and for all. I visited Mallow, Fermoy and Macroom and I made it quite clear to the people I met at the meeting proper that I was there to have a look at the damage caused to local authority property. I have no responsibility whatsoever for any damage caused to private property. That must be recorded because I made that statement quite clearly.
To whom?
To the representatives of the Mallow Urban Council I met who included the deputy manager — I forget his name — and the town clerk. Having done that, they asked me to visit the area in which such a large amount of damage was caused by flooding. I consented to visit that area and I walked around and looked at it. I was appalled by the amount of damage done, but I made it quite clear that there were no funds available to me or to my Department to alleviate in any way the hardship caused to private business people, private individuals, or owners of private houses. My responsibility was to have a look at what happened to local authority property.
That was of great value to them.
With regard to the application to the EEC disaster fund my Department are prepared to do anything they can to help.
When will the Minister do it?
We have not got responsibility for it.
What has the Minister done?
Question No. 15. I have allowed numerous supplementary questions.
In view of the unsatisfactory nature of the reply I wish to raise this matter on the adjournment.
The Chair will communicate with the Deputy.
