I will call on the Deputies who tabled questions to the Minister for the Environment and Local Government in the order in which they submitted their questions to my office.
Private Notice Questions. - Flood Relief.
asked the Minister for the Environment and Local Government if he is aware of the exceptional hardship being caused by the very severe flooding in specific towns and river catchment areas; if he will arrange for local authorities to carry out an immediate assessment of the remedial works required to restore bridges, roads and other facilities, including housing for those worst affected; if the Government will make available adequate financial resources to ensure repairs are carried out without delay; and if he is satisfied that all adequate steps were taken by local and national authorities to minimise and avert the flood damage.
asked the Minister for the Environment and Local Government what steps were being taken to deal with the serious disruption to travel, damage to property and hardship caused to individuals arising from the storms and flooding of the past 48 hours; if the Government will now consider an emergency programme of assistance for those areas which suffered most damage; and if in light of the experience of the past few days he will now consider a new national plan involving the local authorities and the public utility companies to minimise disruption caused by severe weather conditions.
asked the Minister for the Environment and Local Government if he will address shortcomings in the Government's response to the storm damage arising from the increasingly frequent extreme weather patterns attributable to global climate damage and the need to put in place more comprehensive provisions to cope with coastal erosion, flash floods, increased demands on the emergency services and urgent measures to avoid future development in areas prone to flooding.
I propose to take all the questions together.
During and since the weekend my Department has been in contact with the relevant local authorities to obtain up-to-date information regarding the flooding and has monitored the position on an ongoing basis by obtaining regular updates from the relevant county and city managers. Both the Minister for the Environment and Local Government, Deputy Dempsey, and myself have been kept fully informed.
The worst weather conditions were experienced along the east and south east coasts. Reports from the relevant local authorities this morning suggest that although the situation is still bad in some areas it seems the worst is over and in most cases flood levels are receding. However, severe flooding problems have subsequently manifested themselves in Carlow. Many roads which were closed are now passable and people have returned to some houses and business premises which were evacuated.
The matter was considered at Cabinet this morning and as Members may be aware the Government has agreed to implement a humanitarian relief programme. A package of measures will be announced next week following consultation with the Office of Public Works, my Department and the local authorities. Local authorities in the areas worst affected activated their major emergency plans, in some cases as early as Sunday afternoon. This resulted in all the emergency services co-operating to limit and relieve the effects of flooding. The Garda Síochána, local authorities, Army, Civil Defence and health services are the main players. Local authority work forces are diverted to flood relief works, 24-hour monitoring of the situation is installed and the media are fully briefed. From the information provided, it is clear that local authorities in conjunction with the other emergency services, are using every available resource to deal with this current flooding crisis.
The Department continuously reviews its guidelines for major emergency management – in consultation, where necessary, with other Departments with responsibilities in this area – through the interdepartmental advisory committee on major emergencies. My Department chairs the committee which is an advisory body only, composed of representatives from the Department of Health and Children, the Department of Justice, Equality and Law Reform and the Department of Defence. The committee discusses problems arising in emergency planning and issues advice and guidance as necessary to the main response agencies, the local authorities, including fire brigades, health boards, and the Garda Síochána.
I propose to invite representatives from other relevant Departments to discuss the lessons learned from the current flooding and to revise major emergency management arrangements where it is deemed appropriate.
Is the Minister of State aware of the extent of the devastation that has been inflicted on some communities? Last night in Enniscorthy there were three cars on the quay of which only the aerials were visible. One particular house was in 12 feet of water. Will the Minister of State give details of this humanitarian aid package? Does he have a plan whereby local authorities will give an assessment of damage to bridges, road surfaces, footpaths and amenity walkways? Will money be made available to restore those areas arising out of the flood damage? Will the Minister of State expand the special housing aids for the elderly or other cash aid schemes for householders who were put out of their homes before 5 o'clock on Monday morning? They are homeless and face the desperate prospect of trying to remove debris from their houses. Is the Minister of State saying that there will be money for those householders in the package to which he has referred?
I am as aware as anyone can be who has not had the opportunity to visit every area where flooding has caused such devastation. As I said in my reply, I am familiar with the reports that have been made to the Department from the various local authority managements throughout the country, which have constantly kept the Department updated. It is quite clear from media reports and the individual reports of county managers that a very serious situation has arisen for a substantial number of people around the country.
The Government is working out the details of a humanitarian aid package and will be announcing those details as soon as possible. All aspects of the situation will be taken into consideration. Local authorities are being asked to assess the situation in their areas. Naturally, bridges and other physical structures which were in the path of strong flood water currents will have to be inspected to ensure they are safe for the public. All those matters will form part of the review, in addition to the position of individuals who have suffered grievously because of the damage to their homes. All these aspects will be factored into the consideration and the Government's response will be made on humanitarian grounds.
The Minister referred to the aid package the Government approved this morning. Has the Government approved an amount for that aid package and, if so, what is it? What will be covered by that special aid package and what will qualify for it? Does the Minister agree that unlike some of the weather occurrences we have seen in recent years, this storm did not happen suddenly? In view of the fact that it was forecast for the best part of a week, will the Minister explain why the country virtually ground to a halt because of the rain and the storm? Specifically, what action was taken by local authorities and public utilities to prevent flooding from taking place, to release water courses and to ensure drains were open and operating? The Minister referred to contact between him and local authorities over the weekend and since then. Was there contact between him, his Department and local authorities in the period preceding the bad weather, during which time it was forecast? What steps can be taken to ensure that we will not find ourselves again in a situation where trains do not run, the main roads are blocked and people can not get to work every time there is a bad spell of weather?
Obviously, there could not possibly be an amount agreed at this stage, nor can details be given as to what might or might not be covered. That will depend on reports coming back from local authorities after the waters have, I hope, receded and there will be an opportunity to assess the damage to property and the hardship caused to many families. All that information will be required before one can make an assessment. The Government will be generous in this matter and it recognises the hardship that individual families are suffering.
The Deputy asked about contacts with local authorities. The Meteorological Office issued a warning on Saturday, 4 November, at 8 p.m. to all relevant local authorities in Munster and Leinster, advising them that they could expect between 40mm and 60mm of rainfall from 6 a.m. on Sunday to 6 a.m. on Monday. We cannot jump in and look in hindsight at where the water came from. I understand that in some cases the flooding emerged from unexpected quarters where it had not arisen during previous floods. In other places, of course, it would have been easy to anticipate where difficulties might arise. It was not expected, for instance, that Carlow would suffer from serious flooding last night or this morning.
Why not?
That has come late in the day. Hindsight will not help us in this case. Where floods alleviating schemes have been undertaken by the Office of Public Works it seems there has not been any great problem. Many other schemes in the planning stage have not yet been completed. We all have our opinions as to what might be causing these weather patterns, including climatic change, but we will have to have more extensive planning to deal with more severe rainfall in future. The recent Planning Bill authorises local authorities to refuse planning permission where they consider that a building is to be erected on a flood plain. The Government will assess all the reports which county managers have been asked to supervise as soon as they have had an opportunity to complete them. Then the Government will announce in detail what it will do.
Has the Minister received any figure on the cost of the recent storm, apart from what he might read in the Evening Herald? Will he give an indication of the extent of the disruption? According to the Small Business Association, a number of firms will no longer be viable and will have lost too much to be able to continue. Is the Minister aware that increasingly people cannot obtain insurance cover for flood damage because of the damage caused in the recent past? Will the Minister state not his opinion but his understanding – as a Minister with the best scientific information available to him, we assume – of the connection between the emerging patterns of extreme weather and global climate change? Will he be offering more than advice and guidance, as he said in his reply, arising from the interdepartmental committee? Will he give figures for how much he is prepared to invest in emergency services and additional planning and engineering staff in local authorities so that there will be prevention of rather than cure for such incidents in future?
I am sure the Deputy realises that it would be neither possible nor practical for me to attempt to give a cost at this time. I have indicated that the Government will be generous in the package and the Deputy should await the final set-up when all the information is to hand.
What about the other questions? The Minister of State did not mention the connection with climate change.
As the Deputy knows, the Minister announced proposals last week for climate change abatement and Ireland's commitment is very positive and challenging in that regard.
It is all hot air.
What is the Minister of State's understanding?
I am not scientifically qualified to give my opinion.
The Minister of State talks to scientists.
It would not be helpful if I started expounding on the scientific facts on which the scientists have not yet reached agreement.
That is a classic obfuscation.
(Wexford): While welcoming the announcement of the Minister of State and the Government, it is important to impress upon him the need to have County Wexford, especially, as Deputy Yates said, Enniscorthy town, included. We did not receive the same prominence on television as other areas although we were probably much worse than them. Unfortunately, lazy RTE did not bother visiting us in Wexford.
Will the moneys or grants the Minister of State will announce next week be paid directly to the people who suffered major losses as a result of the floods in Enniscorthy? Will he make funds available for the provision of flow bars for the people along the River Slaney in Enniscorthy? The final question and the most important point for people in Enniscorthy at present is whether the Minister of State will ensure local authorities will place every avenue at the disposal of the local people to get them back into their homes and help them clean up the area, and that they will make transport available to take away the obsolete furniture, carpets and dishwashers.
The Government is fully aware of the effect of the flooding in Enniscorthy where a bridge was under six foot of water, where the river bank and roadways collapsed and 40 families were evacuated and placed in bed and breakfast accommodation under the emergency provisions. I assure the Deputy that the assessment sent to the Department by Wexford local authority officials will form part of whatever package the Government agrees.
Does the Minister of State agree that hydrological studies should be conducted in the planning of new housing estates to ensure that houses are not being located on flood plains and to assess the effect of cementing over an area which previously absorbed water and of diverting water to other areas, thereby creating flooding? Is he satisfied that local authorities have adequate hydrological and hydrographical expertise available to them when deciding, for example, on zoning large areas for housing to assure them that they are zoning them in the proper place for housing and that they are not in places where they will be either flooded themselves or will lead to flooding for others?
I agree with Deputy Bruton. It is specifically provided for in the Planning and Development Act, 2000, which was passed recently. In future, local authorities will be able to refuse permission in an area subject to a restriction in its development plan because it lies in a flood risk area. The hydrological expertise is available within the country to assess that aspect of potential sites. It will be a critical factor in future.
Is the Minister of State aware that, on the very day Dunboyne was flooded, the council rezoned 170 acres around Dunboyne for housing? Did it have adequate hydrological expertise to know that it was not rezoning land for housing which may aggravate flooding?
Regardless of whatever decision it made on zoning, it will still have to obtain planning permission and go through the process of public consultation.
The existing houses in Dunboyne have been flooded.
I appreciate that new housing development exacerbates the situation because it concentrates the flow of water and this adds to the flow going into local streams and rivers which quickly swell and spread, leading to a crisis. We have ample evidence this week of the results of improper planning, and the risk of flooding will have to become an essential and important part of the consideration of planning permissions in future. That is provided for in the new Act.
I am sure the Minister of State is aware that parts of County Wicklow were devastated by flooding, especially the town of Arklow, and that people are still out of home as a consequence. Will the Minister of State ensure that staff from his Department will meet the urban district council and health board in Arklow to ensure an accurate assessment is made of the financial requirements? Obviously they extend from repairs to temporary accommodation needs. Will he fast-track as far as possible the Arklow sewerage scheme which would provide an upgraded drainage system for the town, which is badly needed?
Will the Government seriously consider increasing the number of outdoor staff in local authorities to ensure high quality maintenance on an ongoing basis? This would clearly help in future when similar crises occur. The shortage of outdoor staff has certainly added to the difficulties experienced in keeping drains open and ensuring a proper run-off of water.
The Deputy referred specifically to the Arklow sewerage scheme. I will be happy to communicate with her on that and on any way it can be expedited. I am not sure what the difficulties might be. If it can be expedited, I will try to ensure that happens.
In regard to consultation, local authorities have access to all the information, they know who is responsible for the different services provided and they will be charged with submitting the reports to the Department. We will liaise with local authority officials regarding the situation in each area.
What about outdoor staff?
I am sure the Minister of State is also aware that north County Dublin was affected by floods. It is appropriate we pay tribute to the outdoor staff of the councils and fire services and the Garda who worked ceaselessly to try to rescue people and alleviate the suffering. Will he give an assurance to the House that, whatever the grant package given, the method of drawing money from it will be as simple as possible so that people are not waiting months to receive compensation? The Minister of State has not yet given us a figure for the fund.
Will an opportunity be included in that fund for county councils to make a claim to carry out works on known places? I could have written down where the floods were going to happen on certain parts of the N1 because work remains outstanding. Will these be included in the Minister of State's package so that we can attempt to prevent this type of flooding?
What discussions will the Minister of State have with the National Roads Authority about the fact that roads built in the recent past were flooded? The main artery roads were cut off and closed because of flooding and these were built with the highest expertise and cost vast amounts of money. The N1 at Blake's Cross is an example but the position is similar for many motorways throughout the country.
I have some experience of flooding and the procedures we put in place to try to help those who suffered because of it. I refer specifically to the south Galway experience where I was very much involved with the local community. I understand the frustration people suffered in trying to avail of the package made available. I am conscious of the need that it be simple and clearly understood and that there would not be any undue delay in meeting legitimate claims. I am aware that we are dealing with public money and that one must be careful regarding what is and what is not approved. One cannot be cavalier in the way one makes these decisions. This will be dealt with in a proper fashion.
The National Roads Authority will be asked what happened in regard to the serious flooding which occurred on the main arteries and national primary routes for which it is responsible. I had personal experience of what happened on the N4 at Maynooth, where, for some extraordinary reason, traffic on that national route could not pass under a certain bridge and was diverted to the old road, which had served us for hundreds of years and was bone dry and passable. That caused an enormous back up of traffic. It took some people three or four hours to travel from Kilcock to Maynooth. It took over an hour to travel from the motorway into Kilcock, a journey of about a mile.
There are many questions which need to be answered. A full assessment will be carried out and, hopefully, proper action will be taken. Efforts are being made to clear the floods and we are bringing in pumping equipment.
I call Deputy Timmins.
Will the county councils be able to draw down funds for troubled—
Please allow Deputy Timmins ask his question. A number of Deputies are offering and we want to try to facilitate them all.
When the Minister of State is considering the compensation package, will he bear in the mind that many householders do not have their houses insured, due to the fact that insurance companies will not take them on? We have heard insurance companies over the past few days talking about receipts and so on but they have excluded many people. I ask the Minister of State to put those people at the top of his priority list.
The Minister of State said he is familiar with the situation in south Galway, where people were rehoused. While I appreciate it is impossible to rehouse everybody whose house has been flooded, will the Minister of State examine the feasibility of addressing the problem for people whose houses are flooded every year? They do not get publicity but the houses of a small number of people were flooded last year and the year before.
Does the Minister of State agree that, due to increased reclamation of land and improved drainage facilities by the agricultural community, rivers are inclined to flood at a faster rate? To the best of my knowledge, the Office of Public Works is responsible for only two rivers, the Shannon and the Barrow. The Slaney basin, for example, goes through Wicklow, Carlow and Wexford—
I ask the Deputy to ask a very brief question to allow time to facilitate his colleagues.
Does the Minister of State agree it is very difficult for local authorities to co-ordinate this and that a river such as the Slaney, which goes through three local authority areas, should come under the supervision of the Office of Public Works?
On the insurance point, a number of my constituents in local authority housing were flooded, none of whom has insurance cover. Can the Minister of State offer any comfort in that regard in the package he is about to announce?
The Government response will be on humanitarian grounds. The points that have been raised will be taken into account. I can make no further assurances beyond that. There is no responsibility on the State in regard to compensation for damage to non-insured households. It will be a humanitarian response. Each individual case will be looked at carefully. However, the House will understand I cannot go much further than I have gone today. The points that have been made will all be taken into consideration.
We are now getting to the heart of the matter. The Minister of State has been asked three times to give even an indication of the amount of money the Government discussed this morning but he has not specified any amount. There is real concern on this side of the House that this is a token gesture—
A question, please, Deputy Yates.
—rather than a meaningful exercise. Will the Minister of State commit himself to any amount of money today? Will he commit himself to the principle that local authorities will be reimbursed for the restoration of public roads, bridges and footpaths and that there will be a fund for householders who have no insurance cover? While the Minister of State may not be able to specify an amount, can he give those commitments to the House?
The only commitments I can give are that the Government is committed to this package and that it will be drawn up following full consideration of the actual situation on the ground in each area. It cannot be—
The Minister of State is becoming more vague by the minute.
—drawn up on an ad hoc basis here without that basic information.
The Minister of State demanded those assurances when he was on this side of the House.
In regard to the fund, since the Minister of State will not tell us if this an open ended package, whether there is a finite amount or what will qualify for it, will he state if this package is specifically for householders and individuals, as distinct from the funding of the remedial works which will have to be undertaken in various areas on bridges, roads, drainage and so on? Is the package to which he referred a package for householders whose houses have been badly damaged from flooding and who do not have insurance? How quickly can they get access to that fund? People whose houses were flooded this weekend cannot wait until the end of next week to know whether they will get emergency housing or any assistance in that regard. Will the Minister of State be specific? People want to know whether they are getting something from the Government or whether this is some kind of a fob off promise—
A fig leaf.
—to get us into next week, when it will be forgotten about and off the main news headlines.
Given how long I have been here, I should not be surprised at the kind of cynicism I detect—
The Minister of State should answer the question.
(Interruptions).
—and the politicking about the tragedy of people who have suffered because of the climate disaster that recently hit this country.
What about small businesses?
(Interruptions).
The Government's response, as I have indicated, will be a humanitarian one.
What does that mean?
The details of that package will be made known when we have considered all the aspects.
One cannot cash that at the post office.
The Minister of State, without interruption.
Will the Minister of State be more specific about what he proposes to do in his humanitarian response for the people who are suffering? Will he visit the people in my constituency of Dublin North and others who are devastated and do not know how they will get back into their houses because of the flooding? Does the Minister of State accept he is incredibly ignorant of the international consensus of more than 200 scientists on the—
The Deputy must ask a question.
That is a very serious question. The intergovernmental panel on climate change has made it quite clear that these weather patterns are a consequence of climate change. The UK, US and our meteorological service have said we will have to get used to living with rising sea levels, extreme weather patterns and all the other aspects we have seen over the past few days.
Will the Minister of State investigate how developments were allowed take place in flood plains and how older houses are now being flooded because of lazy planning permissions that were given without the proper infrastructure being in place? There is now overcrowding of pipes that were not replaced or enlarged. Will the Minister of State investigate that, so that people who paid more than £200,000 for houses, which are now seriously devalued or worthless, will get some justice?
I assure the people who have suffered hardship due to the recent climate disaster that this is a caring Government. We are concerned to ensure that any hardships which have been suffered will be taken into account in the programme and package that will be drawn up.
That will replace a lot of carpets.
It is beyond the realms of possibility to ask me to give details to the House when the information has not been gathered on what exactly happened. We will have to wait until all the water recedes before we get a full picture of the level of damage. One does not need to be an engineer to know that. I ask Deputies to accept the Government is taking action in good faith, as part of its interest in its community. We are anxious to ensure we will have a caring, generous, humanitarian package to help the people who have suffered serious hardship.
My goodness.
As there are still seven Deputies offering, I propose we take three Deputies, followed by a reply from the Minister of State, and then the other four, followed by a reply from the Minister of State. If Deputies are brief, we will hear all seven but, if not, we will have to move on.
Thank you for your latitude on this important matter, a Leas-Cheann Comhairle. Would the Minister consider it appropriate to organise an audit of bridges in every local authority area? The system for funding bridges is most unsatisfactory. We have been told there is no national funding to rebuild the four bridges in my constituency. The fact that four bridges in my constituency remain down does not sit well with a national development plan to spend in excess of £40 billion on infrastructure. Does the Minister of State recall a celebrated occasion in 1996 when the Taoiseach spent some time amid a fanfare of publicity in the town of Clonmel with the Minister of State, Deputy Davern? Various promises and commitments were made to the people of Clonmel that the flooding which occurred in 1996 would not be seen again. That is a broken promise on the part of the Taoiseach.
(Interruptions).
The Deputy's party was in power long enough to do it.
Blame the local authority.
(Carlow-Kilkenny): For almost five years a flood alleviation plan for Carlow has been in the process of production. It started with consultants' reports which were not acceptable to the experts in the Office of Public Works. They agreed to make a model of the river Barrow as it flowed through Carlow to test the plan. Carlow is now flooded for the second time. The Minister of State saw Carlow at its best a few nights ago and I am aware that he has its best interests at heart. Will he contact the experts who are playing with this Meccano set and ask them to do something to prevent flooding next year in Carlow?
We will have to wait for another day for the response of this humanitarian Government to the needs of people. Will the Minister of State acknowledge that the fire brigades and local authorities have been working around the clock and are to be complimented on their work? In north County Dublin, council staff were put to the pin of their collars to keep the national roads open while hundreds of secondary roads, houses and farms were cut off. How is it that the Army, the FCA and the Civil Defence were not brought in to complement the efforts of local authority workers in north County Dublin? In addition, why was it yesterday afternoon that we were informed the co-ordinated emergency plan for the greater Dublin area was being put in place, 24 hours after the worst parts of this storm? The Minister of State must take responsibility for these shortcomings in the system.
Last week there was a similar situation in Britain which should have forewarned us of the potential for damage in this country. Is the Minister of State aware of the River Poddle in Kimmage and that every time there is heavy rain the river flows down the middle of the road into people's homes? That is easily prevented. There is a grating to prevent children being swept underground but it gets blocked with bottles and other litter. Will the Minister of State arrange for each local authority to compile a catalogue of flashpoints to which they should attend when heavy rainfall occurs? In many cases, certainly in Kimmage, that would prevent the problem. Yesterday, my constituents had to watch the river flowing up the middle of the road and into their gardens.
Deputies raised a number of matters. With regard to an audit of bridges, I assume that will be an essential part of the report. Bridges which were in the flood paths should be looked at to ensure they are in a safe condition for continued public use.
I was in Carlow for a more pleasant occasion last week and I admired the wonderful work people are doing in establishing Carlow county's floral pride. The Carlow town flood alleviation scheme will be ready for statutory exhibition early in the new year. The Office of Public Works has done a tremendous amount of work throughout the country drawing up such schemes. These were discussed by local authorities but the proposals were not always agreed to. Further consideration was given to them and in some cases two or three different plans were put before the members after they asked for changes.
Having seen the extent of the havoc that can be visited on people and their homes, hopefully there will be more urgency in the process and minds can be brought together to reach final decisions. This will enable the Office of Public Works to continue its excellent work. Where it has gone ahead and completed schemes there has been practically no recurrence of serious flooding. There are solutions and they require funding. The Government has provided a substantial amount of funding but all of it has not yet been used.
In my first reply I paid tribute, as I do again now, to the extent of the activity of the fire brigades, the Garda Síochána, the Civil Defence, the Army and the local authority officials who responded magnificently to this emergency. They are due the sincere thanks of every Member of the House and I express that now. In terrible conditions they performed magnificently. A total of 350 Army personnel produced thousands of sandbags which helped to protect many properties and great credit is due to them.
I agree with Deputy Gay Mitchell's point. Local authority officials should be familiar with the flashpoints and deal with them immediately when these conditions arise. That will have to be taken into consideration more seriously in the future.
I call Deputy Wall.
The Minister of State did not respond to the question I raised.
I am anxious to give the Deputy's colleagues a chance to ask a question before moving on to the Order of Business.
The Minister of State did not respond to the question I raised about the emergency plan.
I ask Deputy Ryan to resume his seat or I will proceed to the Order of Business.
The Minister of State did not respond.
The Minister of State will be aware that the old adage applies in Athy – there is water, water everywhere and not a drop to drink. All pumping stations in the town were turned off due to their proximity to the River Barrow and the local authority's fear of pollution of the water supply. This has been a feature of flooding in Athy for a number of years. Will the Minister of State's Department examine the funding for the south Kildare water scheme? There is another problem with the River Barrow because Kilmoroney Bridge is now hanging into the river. It is backing the water into Athy and I have no wish to deprive Deputy Browne of all that water. It should be allowed to flow into Carlow where he can deal with it. Every effort should be made to remove Kilmoroney Bridge and to deal with the flooding in Athy.
Will the Minister of State clarify whether the various local authorities likely to be affected by the flooding were alerted to the need to implement the national emergency programme and at what stage that happened? Will he also instruct the local authorities which have been affected by the flooding to carry out an in-depth investigation into what happened in their areas, given that in most cases the same thing has occurred year after year for the last ten years?
It is sad that there had to be a national catastrophe to make people aware of the consequences of extensive flooding. Deputy Bradford and I are aware that Mallow and Fermoy experience this type of flooding at least every second year. I ask the Minister of State to ensure that people who have been affected by flooding year after year are given adequate compensation to help them over the financial straits in which they again find themselves.
I have two brief questions. Will the Minister of State consider providing compensation for exporters in the midlands and west of Ireland whose access to ports was blocked for a second time in 11 months because of flooding? Will the Minister of State confirm that the position regarding granting of humanitarian aid will be different from that which applied last January when families whose property and lands were flooding were refused compensation from this caring Government? Will he seek to ensure the Government's decision on that is overturned?
It was brought to the attention of the Minister of State by Deputy Michael Ahern that the towns of Fermoy and Mallow in Cork east were devastated by flooding. May I indicate to the constituents I will meet in the next few days that his proposed programme of humanitarian aid will include an element of compensation, given that we have had this debate on numerous occasions in recent years? Compensation for damage done is what is sought.
On the broader front, will the Minister of State indicate what he and his ministerial colleagues are doing at international level in terms of discussing climate changes with their EU colleagues? The Minister of State has not addressed the questions raised by Deputy Sargent. The only suggestion he made to address this problem is that people should build houses on hills. We are re-hashing the debate that took place in Britain last week. What are we doing internationally to discuss the question of climate change? Unless we address it nationally and internationally, we will be back here debating it in 12 months, 36 months or five years.
Given that few Members have spoken about rural Ireland, which has been completely devastated by the floods of the past two weeks, I, as a representative of a constituency in which a fatal accident occurred due to a flash flood, ask what plans has the Minister of State to provide the necessary finance to Cork County Council to improve byroads throughout the constituency that were virtually washed away? What compensation will be given to the people who have been waiting for the past ten years for local improvement scheme grants to improve road access to their houses in which they were marooned for weeks on end at the time of previous floods? Will the Minister of State's plan provide that nowhere, except places such as Mount Ararat on which Noah's Ark rested, so to speak, will be safe to live?
We need a radical response.
Regarding Deputy Wall's question, I will ensure the position regarding the south Kildare water scheme is examined. The situation in Kildare was particularly bad.
Deputies mentioned a number of factors and all that are practicable will be examined. The response will be one of humanitarian aid.
What does that mean?
Describe "humanitarian aid".
It will not extend to compensating exporters.
That is a fig leaf. Will the Minister of State give a "yes" or "no" answer as to whether money will be made available to householders? A principle is involved here.
An Leas Comhairle:
Allow the Minister of State to respond.
Deputy Michael Ahern can be assured that we are well aware of the difficulties in Cork. Major problems arose in Fermoy and Mallow and they are documented in the reports submitted by the managers.
Deputy Sheehan referred to the local improvements scheme. If he keeps himself informed of such matters, he would be aware that the amount of money available under that scheme has been trebled since the Government came into office.
Much more needs to be done to address the backlog of applications in regard to that scheme.