I welcome to the House the Minister of State, Deputy Moran. I invite him to deliver his opening statement.
Flooding: Statements
I am grateful for the opportunity to attend the House. I appreciate the opportunity to address this important issue. I am joined by members of the flood risk management division of the Office of Public Works, OPW. I will focus on the specific area of flooding that Senators have raised. I will briefly outline some of the relevant context, achievements and challenges.
The OPW co-ordinates the whole-of-government approach to managing coastal and river flooding and its social, economic and environmental impacts through the interdepartmental flood policy co-ordination group. The whole-of-government approach is necessary to support flood risk management so that Departments and State agencies each take the lead to provide effective supports and policy measures within their areas of responsibility and to promote and address community and individual responses. The core policy objective is to reduce to the greatest extent possible the impact of flooding on homes and businesses across the country. In doing so, the OPW delivers a range of structural and non-structural measures, including working closely with local authorities to progress flood relief schemes for at-risk communities nationwide.
Flood policy has three key pillars of prevention, protection and preparedness, which are underpinned by research and data evidence. Prevention is aimed at avoiding or removing flood risk that can be achieved, for example, by avoiding construction in flood-prone areas. Protection is aimed at reducing the likelihood and severity of flood events. This typically involves physical works, such as defending at-risk areas from flooding through the delivery of major flood relief schemes. Preparedness includes actions and measures that can be taken to reduce the consequence of flooding by, for example, informing the public about preparing for a risk of flooding and taking the appropriate action during the flood event. Though I will focus primarily on the protection policy pillar in these opening remarks, I welcome Senators' statements in respect of any of these specific policy areas.
Historically, flood risk management focused on arterial drainage to improve land for agriculture and mitigate flooding. Arising from an increasing flood risk to urban areas, the Arterial Drainage Act 1945 was amended in 1995 to permit the OPW to implement flood relief schemes to provide flood protection for cities, towns and villages. To identify communities that are at risk from significant flood events, the OPW completed the largest study of flood risk ever undertaken by the State in 2018. The OPW catchment-based flood risk assessment and management, CFRAM, programme was undertaken by engineering consultants on behalf of the OPW, working in partnership with the local authorities. The CFRAM programme studied 80% of Ireland's primary flood risk and identified solutions that can protect from 95% of that risk.
As the then Minister of State with special responsibility for the OPW and flood relief, I was pleased to publish the 29 flood risk management plans to address flood risk in Ireland in May 2018. Those plans provide the roadmap for the Government's investment in flood relief schemes today, identifying some 150 new and additional flood relief schemes that will provide protection to approximately 23,000 homes and businesses in communities across the country. The Government is supporting the delivery of the measures outlined in these plans by means of national development plan funding of €1.3 billion to 2030.
Progressing this significantly increased programme of flood relief schemes requires capacity and capability in highly specialised areas of engineering. Many of these schemes are being led by local authorities in partnership with the OPW. Each scheme is progressed by a design team. Designing the optimal technical solution, ensuring a robust approach to environmental assessments and meeting other regulatory requirements are all essential steps. To assist in the delivery of the first tranche of flood relief schemes, the OPW is funding 50 engineering staff in local authorities across Ireland.
Nationally, significant progress has been made to date in the delivery of this ambitious programme to protect communities against flooding from rivers and the sea. Investment through the national development plan and working in partnership with local authorities has allowed the OPW to triple the number of flood relief schemes at design, planning or construction to some 100 schemes. Today, work to protect 80% of all at-risk properties nationally is completed or under way. To date, the OPW has invested €570 million in 55 completed flood relief schemes, protecting over 13,500 properties, with an estimated economic benefit to the State in damages and losses avoided of €2 billion.
The OPW's major flood relief schemes are typically designed and built to a standard that protects areas against one-in-100-year flood events and protects coastal areas against one-in-200-year flood events, where it is feasible to do so. These are major flood events that can cause significant impact and are often called once-in-a-lifetime floods. In reality, the term "one-in-100-year floods" means there is a 1% chance of them occurring in any single year. While the likelihood is low, the impact of these floods is significant in terms of damage.
While timelines may vary significantly from project to project, completion of stages 1 to 5 takes, on average, 11 years in total. Specifically, the five delivery stages are as follows. Stage 1, scheme development and preliminary design, takes an average of 48 months. Stage 2, planning process or public exhibition and confirmation, takes an average of 24 months. Stage 3, detailed design, takes an average of 12 months. Stage 4, construction, takes an average of 36 months. Stage 5, handover of works, takes an average of 12 months.
Such schemes will benefit communities in a wide range of counties, including Cork, Clare, Dublin, Kildare, Limerick, Tipperary, Mayo and Westmeath. I have visited a number of these sites and most recently I was pleased to turn on the interim pumping solutions to help manage the flood risk at Lough Funshinagh in County Roscommon.
As well as managing significant flood events, the OPW supports local authorities in managing localised flood risk. Under the OPW’s minor flood mitigation works and coastal protection scheme, local authorities can undertake minor flood mitigation works or studies to address localised fluvial flooding and coastal protection problems within their administrative areas. Under the scheme, applications are considered for projects that are estimated to cost not more than €750,000 in each instance. As of the end of 2024, the OPW has approved funding of €68.6 million across 900 unique projects.
I thank Senators for their time, work, and commitment to improving society and the lives of citizens, and I appreciate their interest in matters relating to flooding. I look forward to hearing their statements.
Before calling Senator Davitt, I welcome Councillor John Michael Foley from Timoleague who is a guest of Senator O'Donovan.
I welcome the Minister of State to the House. It is the first time he has been in the House since he assumed his portfolio and I sincerely and wholeheartedly congratulate him on his elevation. The Boxer, as he is called locally, as well as far and wide, which is no trade secret, and I soldiered together on Westmeath County Council for a number of years. I wish him hearty and well deserved congratulations. He is a hands-on type of person, as he proved the last time he held ministerial office and he certainly will not be found wanting in coming up with solutions. I advise any Senators who know of worthwhile and worthy projects to approach the Minister of State and talk to him because invariably, if it can be done, it will be done. That has been my experience.
I am not going to rehash all of the figures that he mentioned in his statement but the massive investment of €1.3 billion under the national development plan really is an eye-watering figure. In this current climate, with all of the turbulence caused by weather and climate change, now is a prudent time to be spending this level of money on defence and future proofing for the next generation. There are 55 flood relief schemes protecting approximately 13,500 homes at present. No one is more aware than myself and the Minister of State of the works in our own county of Westmeath, particularly in Athlone. Incredible work has been done down there, which has protected a hell of a lot of homes. He will have his finger on the exact number but without those works, a lot of houses would probably not be there today in reality. At the end of 2024, the OPW approved €686 million for 900 different flood relief schemes, which is incredible. Those schemes will protect more than 7,000 houses, which is a very substantial number.
There is one scheme in particular that I discussed with the Minister of State recently, which is being progressed by Westmeath County Council. The Department is providing funding, in conjunction with councils, to tidy and clean up rivers and so on. I have been working with Councillor Aoife Davitt on the Brosna river and have started to get the ball rolling with the Minister of State in relation to tidying up that river. There are a couple of black spots where people evidently congregated or socialised and there is rubbish on the river that is an eyesore. This is a very worthwhile scheme. Heretofore, this was the responsibility of the councils but they often did not have the money to clear away surface rubbish and other bits and pieces that could block rivers. The Minister of State has come up with an innovative scheme that involves county councils tidying up black spots on rivers and we are working on that in my own town at present.
Again, I commend the Minister of State and thank him for coming to the House today. I am sure, as always, that he will be as helpful as possible to all Members of the House.
I also congratulate the Minister of State on his position, which nobody deserves more. I know what he did for his town of Athlone when it came to flooding. I saw him in many a river pulling out who-knows-what. He certainly got stuck in.
An unfortunate statement was made about our nation to the effect that if we put all of the Dutch people into Ireland it would become the garden of Europe but if we put all of the Irish people into the Netherlands, it would sink. It is sad that our current Government seems to be making this come true. In recent years many of our communities have been hit by spates of flooding and many in these Houses will take the opportunity to place the blame on climate change. While there is some merit to this, the hard fact is that when one looks beneath the surface, many of these floods are man-made, but in a totally different way. They are man-made not as a consequence of too many people driving their cars to work or taking cheap flights to the Balearic islands but of inaction, negligence and over-regulation. Towns, fields and homes are being flooded because levees have not been built, ditches have not been drained, retention basins have not been dug and rivers have been left undredged. This inefficiency and inaction is compounded by over-regulation by environmentalists. This over-regulation is by those who blame all of these floods on climate change and who propose to solve the problem with even more regulation.
Recently The Irish Times reported that the ongoing flooding problems in Lough Funshinagh in County Roscommon have been relieved by the installation of pumps. However, before the flooding, the OPW and the local council had attempted to install pumps but this attempt was struck down by a High Court challenge on the basis of the habitats directive, the birds directive and the environmental impact assessment directive among others. As a consequence, 700 acres have been damaged. The decision was also based on the fact that the lake had protected status as a turlough, a naturally draining lake which disappears and reappears with the weather and the seasons. However, locals say that the lough had not been draining since 1996. The environmental regulations failed to keep pace with the changed environment.
Recently in the wake of Storm Éowyn we were treated to a spate of stories, particularly in Cork, about a number of towns that were severely flooded as the dredging of local rivers was prevented by biodiversity regulations. Farmers hesitated to clear drainage systems for fear of violating Byzantine environmental rules. We have serious inefficiency problems with public infrastructure - let us not forget the OPW and its bike shed - but over-regulation is making this inefficiency fatal. There is no reason for things to be like this. We are a great people, fully capable of creating brilliant and ambitious infrastructure projects, changing the landscape around us. Irish people built the canals of England and the railroads of America. It is time we began to manage and transform our own landscape at home. When our State was just emerging from the Civil War, we were able to complete the Ardnacrusha dam and power station, one of the greatest infrastructure projects and one of the greatest green energy achievements in natural history. Would Ardnacrusha be built today? It is doubtful. It is most likely that its construction would be infinitely delayed and ultimately prevented because of some rare species of worm in the Shannon riverbed.
This brings me to the Irish Environmental Protection Agency, EPA. While it is succeeding in frustrating real flood prevention, the EPA has also failed to prevent the pollution of our rivers, which are the lifeblood of our countryside. According to its own reports, nearly one fifth of monitored river water bodies are in poor or bad status and are severely polluted. This is unacceptable. Our rivers have been choked with pollutants from agriculture, urban wastewater and other sources and the EPA has not done enough to address the crisis. Before we start seriously engaging in real flood prevention, we need to take a look at one kind of construction that mysteriously does not seem to be prevented in flood affected areas, namely the construction of residential property. We cannot seem to dredge rivers or build levees in flood zones but somehow we have little issue with building housing estates on them.
One effective measure would be the creation of buffer zones around flood risk areas. These zones would prevent the construction of domestic properties in high-risk areas, reducing the potential for damage and loss of life. Buffer zones can also help absorb excess water during heavy rainfall, reducing the severity of floods. Furthermore, the office of the OPW must share its flood risk data publicly. Transparency is crucial for effective flood management. By making the data publicly accessible, we can ensure communities are better prepared and that flood prevention measures are based on the most accurate and up-to-date information. We must hold the EPA accountable for its failures in water quality, while we roll back more obstructive regulations to build for effective flood management infrastructure. By creating buffer zones and ensuring transparency of flood risk data, we can protect our communities and our environment.
Another issue the Minister of State is in charge of when a flood does happen is the humanitarian assistance scheme. Greater awareness of this assistance scheme is needed among the public. There should also be quicker payouts. The insurance companies need to be tackled when it comes to homes affected by floods. It does not matter whether it is a man-made flood or a flood caused by Uisce Éireann, the insurance companies are the ones that have to pay out.
The OPW minor flood mitigation works and the coastal protection scheme that allows local authorities to draw down €750,000 have not been increased since 2020. The Minister of State might look to increase that. There are 17 counties in Ireland with coastlines. There is an untapped resource of EU funding there. We seem to not be able to draw down enough EU funding for our coastal erosion. That is something the local authorities should be tapping into. Let us not be remembered as a generation that let our country sink but as the one that kept the nation afloat. I thank the Minister of State and wish him good luck in the role.
I believe Senators Byrne, Scahill, Kennelly and Boyle are sharing time. Is that agreed? Agreed.
I thank the Minister of State for accepting my invitation to visit Enniscorthy in the not too distant future to address the long-standing flooding issues that we have had in the town. I look forward to working with him in my role as Fine Gael's Seanad spokesperson on public expenditure and infrastructure. I want to highlight the sheer devastation I have witnessed, and I am sure the Minister of State is the same as me, that flooding can bring to houses, residences and business properties. On Christmas Day in December 2021, I witnessed the flooding of my hometown, Enniscorthy. I saw people taking their entire life's possessions out of their homes and putting them into skips following the flooding. I know the Minister of State has committed to working with me on addressing the Enniscorthy flood relief project and I am grateful to him for that.
I highlight the programme for Government commitment to streamline and simplify the delivery of flood relief schemes. It is important that, over the course of this term, we work to make sure there is a balance struck between the need to protect the environment, ensuring we live in a sustainable and environmentally supportive country, with the need of residences and businesses not to be in fear of being flooded yet again when the rain comes. There is a balance to be struck there and I am concerned we have not got the balance fully correct. At the moment, if there is a large-scale flooding project, the Arterial Drainage Act commits that project to be submitted for review to the local authority, the Office of Public Works, and to the Minister and officials at the Department of public expenditure. It is my opinion that the Department of public expenditure is not sufficiently equipped to be a planning authority and to determine whether these flood relief projects should be awarded planning permission and consent to proceed. I know the Minister of State is committed to reforming the legislation in this area. This has to be a key priority for the Government. If we want to get serious about tackling major, large-scale flood relief projects, we need to have the ambition and a planning process that goes to where it should, which is An Bord Pleanála. I will work with the Minister of State on that.
I welcome the Minister of State. I thank him for the wonderful day we recently spent in Roscommon, turning on the temporary pumping system in Lough Funshinagh to help manage the flood risk pending the completion of the permanent scheme. On that day he praised the Taoiseach, the Tánaiste and my colleagues, former Ministers of State responsible for the OPW, Deputy Kieran O'Donnell and Deputy Patrick O'Donovan, for identifying the interim solution, along with the team in Roscommon County Council, led by the senior executive engineer Caroline Nally. I also acknowledge the work done by my predecessor, Senator Aisling Dolan, and Councillor Laurence Fallon who lives in the area beside the turlough itself.
The Minister if State also acknowledged the support and constructive engagement of the residents of Lough Funshinagh. Their deep connection with Lough Funshinagh and its preservation has been to the fore throughout the whole process, notwithstanding the challenges they have faced from the flood risk to their homes and businesses.
Following on from Senator Keogan's comments, the water level in Lough Funshinagh reached a new record in April 2024 of 3.3 m higher than the average levels, spread across 175 ha of land. I want to look toward the permanent solution with certainty. I call on the Minister of State to keep the pressure on to deliver that permanent solution without delay. Would it be possible to get the dates An Bord Pleanála will allow the temporary pumping to run until? When do we expect to lodge the planning application for the permanent solution? Will the Minister of State outline when he expects the injunction to be lifted? When does he expect the work on the permanent solution to begin, and when do we expect to have it completed?
Before I finish, I wish the Minister of State a happy birthday today.
I am getting old and grey.
Thank you, Senator Scahill, and happy birthday to the Minister of State.
I welcome the Minister of State. Naturally, I am glad to hear so many counties are being looked after but I did not hear Donegal. I may be being parochial about it, but, as the Minister of State knows, there are many flooding problems in County Donegal. For example, there is Killybegs, Donegal town, Pettigo and up in the north of the county. There are a lot of problems there. In my part of the country there is a lot of coastal erosion and houses are being affected. That is something I have talked about with the Minister of State and it is to be hoped it is something we can work through. In fairness to the Minister of State, he is the first I have seen on television getting his hands dirty. He is the same as myself; I get out and help. On the morning of the Bridge Street floods in Killybegs, that is what I did. I have never seen people's lives turned upside down so quickly. It really was a total decimation for families, when their photographs and everything they had downstairs was ruined because of flooding.
I wonder whether, rather than allowing the flood to happen, something could be put in place for low-lying areas, so they have a pump on standby which the local authorities could have prepared the night before a weather warning. Rather than waiting for a flood to happen, would we not be better off trying to get to these places that are identified as having a problem before it does happen.
In the instance of the Bridge Street floods the river was a problem and I am glad to see it is going to be cleaned. That is what is needed to be done. In fairness to the OPW, it said it would do it and it is going to be done in conjunction with Donegal County Council. We would be better to react quicker, before the flood happens to try to save people's lives. The Minister of State knows this as has been through it. He has seen the turmoil caused by it. If we could do something before a weather warning being issued, we could be out ahead of it and safeguard people's property.
I welcome the Minister of State back to the House. He and I have debated this before as a Commencement matter, and I will give him a brief of that again.
Storm Bert struck Listowel in November 2024. We should not let the blue skies today fool us when we are discussing flooding issues. Even before Storm Bert, we had three flooding issues in Listowel in July 2022 that destroyed the town, which led to the flood relief schemes that have since commenced and been finished. During Storm Bert in 2024, the River Feale, which runs through Listowel, burst its banks, leading to the evacuation of approximately 70 homes. Floodwaters reached unprecedented levels with depths exceeding 4 m, which surpassed the previous record of 3.5 m. Listowel Racecourse, adjacent to the River Feale, suffered extensive damage. Floodwaters inundated the track and facilities, with water levels reaching up to 1.2 m, causing significant destruction. Racecourse director Pat Healy estimated the cost of the damage to be in the six-figure range. Residents in areas such as the Meadows and the Paddocks estates experienced severe flooding. As I stated previously, it went from saving homes to saving lives, especially in the Killocrim area, situated outside Listowel, which also faced significant flooding.
Since I became a Senator, I have told the people of the Listowel and Killocrim areas that works and reports have been drawn up. These were brought to councillors as long ago as March 2021. Since then, there has been no contact from the OPW or Kerry County Council to members, including the mayor, Jimmy Moloney, whom I spoke to recently. No correspondence whatsoever from any Department has informed people in the Listowel area when works are to commence. The Minister of State promised me that he would come to the Listowel area in April. I asked for that four weeks ago. It was an invite to come to Listowel but also an invite to tell me when works could commence. There are still sandbags on the streets of Listowel. There are a thousand sandbags at Killocrim. The one thing we do not want to see coming into anyone's town are sandbags because it runs down the whole area. I again ask the Minister of State to give me a start date for when these works can commence.
Senators Collins and McCormack are sharing time. Is that agreed? Agreed.
I welcome the Minister of State to the House. Flooding is no longer an occasional crisis. It is an ever-present threat affecting lives, homes and livelihoods throughout the country. From County Limerick to County Cork and from County Galway to the midlands, communities are living in fear of the next storm, the next flood warning or the next disaster. We saw this again just a few months ago when Storm Bert battered the country. In west Limerick, the River Feale burst its banks, submerging roads, homes, and entire sports facilities. Abbeyfeale United Football Club and the field of the local GAA club, Fr. Casey's, were wiped out in a matter of hours. In Newcastle West and right across rural Limerick, people again watched floodwaters rise, with dread, in their homes.
Storm Bert did not just hit Limerick. From Clonmel to Midleton, homes were destroyed, businesses wrecked and families displaced. Clean-up bills run into the millions but the human cost is immeasurable and, for many, it is the second or third time in just a few years. This is not unprecedented. It is not new and is not an act of God. It is the consequence of decades of underinvestment, slow-moving bureaucracy and a State response that has failed to match the urgency of the crisis.
Let us be honest: much of Ireland’s development has occurred on floodplains. Places such as Shannon and many other towns throughout the country are built where water naturally wants to go. With rising sea levels, more frequent extreme weather events and ageing infrastructure, the risk is only growing. The Government’s catchment flood risk assessment and management plans identified more than 100 areas at significant flood risk. Identifying risk is one thing but delivering action is another. For example, the Limerick city and environs flood relief scheme, launched in 2021, is vital and welcome, but the pace is glacial. It involves planning, environmental assessments, design consultation and then - eventually - procurement. Too often, by the time a scheme moves to construction, another flood has already come and gone. This is where the State is falling down: the procurement process.
We all know flood relief schemes are complex and need proper oversight, but the sheer length of time it takes to go from planning to procurement to completion is unacceptable. Years can pass between identifying a solution and breaking ground. Communities are expected to live with rising risk while being stuck behind red tape. The upcoming review of public procurement rules and policy is an opportunity to change this but, let us be honest, it is long overdue. If it does not address the length and rigidity of the current process for delivering crucial and critical infrastructure such as flood defences, then it will have failed. We cannot allow vital projects to be delayed because of bureaucracy. We need streamlined processes, faster decision-making and stronger accountability for delivery. We need to move from caution to action because lives and livelihoods are quite literally on the line.
Communities have shown incredible resilience but resilience should never be a substitute for investment. People deserve more than sandbags and sympathy. They deserve leadership. They deserve infrastructure that protects them. They deserve a Government that acts before and not after the damage is done. This is not just about flood defences. It is about climate adaption, public safety and justice. It is about recognising that what was once exceptional is now the norm and responding accordingly.
I thank the Minister of State for coming to speak to us about flooding issues. We have known for many years now that the effects of climate change will bring about more dramatic weather events and certainly, as we have seen in the past year, we have had our fair share of storms recently. The severe damage throughout the country from Storm Éowyn should serve as a wake-up call for the Government to better prepare for more frequent and more damaging storms in future.
I take this opportunity to raise the matter of the Mountmellick flood relief scheme in County Laois with the Minister of State. He might remember that, eight years ago in 2017, there was a massive flood in Mountmellick when three rivers simultaneously burst their banks after heavy rains. The water levels rose so fast, residents were terrified and homes and businesses were severely damaged. Some residents could not return to their homes for several months. The Defence Forces were called in to assist with what was described as a catastrophic flash flood. We have had a plan to mitigate against future flooding events in Mountmellick since the report in 2018. This plan was set in motion seven years ago, yet we still have no flood defences in place to protect residents from future heavy rains and storms.
There are four stages after a consultant is appointed. After seven years, it seems we are still stuck in stage 1. It was expected that a planning application would be submitted by the end of last year but we have heard no update on that. Similarly, a flood relief scheme is in place for Portarlington, County Laois, which has also been stuck at stage 1 for the past seven years. It is actually a bit further behind because planning is not expected for another few months.
I spoke to a resident of Mountmellick today who told me that, after the flood in 2017, his insurance claim for the damage to his home was more than €90,000. Luckily, he had insurance but going forward, the insurance company will not cover any flood damage. The residents of Mountmellick and Portarlington are at the mercy of the Government’s plan to implement the flood relief schemes. With the slow progress of these plans, it is no wonder residents say their nerves are gone every time a storm approaches. They have been living in fear for eight years. How much longer will they have to live like this? In 2023, residents viewed the plans and were glad there was some progress, but they have heard nothing since and are deeply concerned it is taking so long for this initial phase. They just need reassurances that the flood defences will be in place before they get hit again.
It is acknowledged that a little flooding in 2020 led to some changes in the design presented in 2023 and caused a small delay, but to take seven years and counting to complete one phase is just not acceptable. There have been assurances that, once the planning phase is completed, the works will not take too long after that. I really hope that is true. There was an expectation that the planning for Mountmellick would be submitted in quarter 4 of 2024. We are now in quarter 2 of 2025 – where is it?
I urge the Minister of State to have a look into why these schemes are taking so long. Can we please have some urgency to deliver them in County Laois?
Cuirim fáilte roimh an Aire Stáit. Déanaim comhghairdeas leis. I wish the Minister of State all the very best in his tenure. He has a very exciting portfolio but, no doubt, an incredibly challenging one as well.
As Senators said, these extreme weather events we are witnessing are now becoming the norm. It was shown in a lot of climate modelling over recent years that this would be the case, whether in the form of flooding, heat storm events or large rainfall dumps in urban areas, which are the cause of many of these flooding events. Much of this is created historically by poor spatial planning, poor urban planning, hard-surfacing of areas, changes in agricultural use and change in land use. We are also witnessing significant signs of coastal erosion and rising sea levels. All of these issues coupled together are causing significant challenges for communities throughout the country. Noting the very good work that was done with the CFRAM modelling and the OPW's approach, that is to be commended on pointing a way forward. While these hard-engineering solutions are important and play a significant role, and Kilkenny city has certainly benefited from a very good and effective flood relief scheme over recent years, we do have to look to nature as well and at the opportunities it can provide us in the interim, because we are talking about schemes that could take ten or 11 years to come to fruition. In the interim, there are opportunities we should be giving consideration to in trying to address some of the challenges communities are facing.
A public consultation was opened by the Department of housing in respect of heavily modified water bodies, which is to feed into the third cycle of the river basin management plan. These are water bodies whose physical characteristics have been modified by engineering works, power generation, water supply, flood defences or arterial drainage. They are formally designated by the Minister for housing as part of the river basin management plan. There are currently 467 candidate water bodies, which is a huge step up from the 33 bodies in the first cycle of the plan a number of years ago. The plan looks at the ecological potential objective of these water bodies, rather than their ecological status. That ecological potential objective recognises the modifications that are potentially impacting on good water status. This could relate to the migration or passage of fish along free-flowing rivers. These are targets we have set under the water action plan, which I launched in Kilkenny last year. The work that is ongoing in relation to the national nature restoration plan is, again, hugely important work that will require a whole-of-government and whole-of-society approach. In looking at these, if we look at the multiple benefits nature restoration could provide in alleviating flooding in our communities, it is very important that the OPW, in conjunction with all Departments, give consideration to it.
In the water action plan, a commitment was given by the OPW to reviewing the Arterial Drainage Act, and that commitment should be met by this Government. It is hugely important. Of the 467 candidate water bodies I mentioned under the heavily modified water bodies proposal, 325 are based around arterial drainage. The Arterial Drainage Act, at the time it was brought into effect, was largely a labour activation measure for rural Ireland. However, it has caused significant problems with land drainage and in many ways, it continues to contribute to some of the challenges we are facing with flooding up and down the country. That review is vital. Moreover, in the context of the water action plan and the objective of the nature restoration plan, establishing more and more free-flowing rivers and removing barriers to fish passage will be beneficial. We have heard talk of dredging, but that is not the solution because the rivers just continue to silt up. It is very important that we look at the collaborative actions around the various plans and proposals from the OPW to the water unit in the Department of housing, the EPA, the Department of agriculture and all the agencies working together to try and achieve these objectives.
Added to that, in our urban areas it is critical that we look at good urban planning and design, including the upskilling of local authority engineers and planners to look at fewer hard-surface car parks and more permeable paving, rain gardens and tree planting. These are nature-based solutions. Some years ago, they were probably seen as a little bit out there but there are some really good projects in Dublin and Cobh, County Cork, which I visited as well, where they are using nature-based solutions in urban areas to attenuate water and slow it down. That effort to slow down water and its lag time can have a beneficial impact, particularly in cases of the dumping of large quantities of rainfall in short periods. We are dealing with very short events at times in many of our urban areas, as some of the other Senators have raised, and we need to look towards that.
We also need to look towards the nature restoration plan and the opportunities it provides for the restoration of habitats, native woodlands, wet woodlands, peatlands and rivers. All of this can have a positive impact in holding water back, managing rainfall and working with nature. There are objections under LULUCF, or land use, land-use change and forestry, which, again, are largely climate objectives but they will have co-benefits in nature restoration and water management. All these measures will have a lower cost than some of the hard-engineering solutions and they can be done right now as we wait for a lot of these schemes to come onboard. It is really important that we look at them. I urge the Minister of State to work with his Government colleagues to look at the opportunities that are there under the water action plan and to initiate that review of the Arterial Drainage Act as a matter of urgency. It is really important that that Act be reviewed. We need to look at the opportunity the nature restoration plan can bring to us.
There is a climate nature fund of €3.15 billion and the Government still has not published how it is going to spend that money. That is going to be very important as communities, farm organisations and all of us work collaboratively to try to address these issues. Concrete on its own will not address the challenges we are facing. As we have all witnessed, the weather events that are taking place up and down the country are unprecedented, but they are with us and are going to stay with us. It is up to us all to work collaboratively to try to address these events, and nature can play a significant role in helping us.
The Minister of State is very welcome. His visit gives me the opportunity to wish him well and show the hand of friendship to work with him.
Where I come from in Portumna, on the banks of the Shannon with the bridge, flooding is a huge issue and has a huge impact on our lives. I have no doubt my colleague in Fine Gael, Senator Murphy, will be talking about the south Galway floods when he speaks and, therefore, I will focus solely on the gate in Portumna under the CFRAM. A gate was designed in line with the CFRAM programme but, as was the case when the Minister of State was previously in office, I am still calling for our gate. If we do not have the gate, it means Portumna is under siege. In 2009 and 2016, luckily, thanks to the good work of the OPW and the ESB, we managed to avoid catastrophe. The N65, which goes through Portumna, is the main artery through to Rosslare. If the water ever breaks the white line on that road, that means it is impassable. It also cuts off the communities of north Tipperary and north Offaly from being able to come to us. If the Minister of State could talk to his capital team as to where the design or plan for that gate is, that would be greatly appreciated.
I am sure the Minister of State is well aware of the flooding that can take place coming into the summer on the Shannon Callows. I have no doubt he is very familiar with it. Last summer was an absolute disaster for us. A great deal of fodder was lost on the Shannon Callows. It was very unfortunate. I listened to Senator Malcolm Byrne speak about how funding was distributed when it was brought through from the Department of agriculture. If a cut was taken off the silage, funding was given because a glass of water could be seen on top of it, but lads who had not let their cattle in to graze could not see the water under it. Some farmers were getting it, therefore, and others were not, but when the callows are flooded, they are all flooded equally. I ask the Minister of State to ensure that if a weather alert is coming where it looks like there will be an intense raining spell over the summer, whoever is in charge of the tap in Ardnacrusha will turn it on a little bit more. People always talk about navigation being the number one issue during the summer and we do not want to lose our wildlife on the Shannon Callows either, but there has to be a mechanism here.
Waterways Ireland does excellent work but, at the end of the day, we have to think not only about our wildlife habitats but also about how the farmers will supply their stock over the winter months. The Shannon Callows provide a huge number of opportunities for the farmers to salvage some hay.
Finally, I will focus on Storm Éowyn. When I think about Storm Éowyn, I think about all the trees that Coillte and farmers have lost on their own lands. As regards a lot of those lands where the trees are down, I was talking to Coillte the other day and it has three years' harvesting on the ground. That is what is down at the moment. When I think about that, I think about Portumna and all the trees that are down across all the various drains that are part of the drainage system that brings the water to the River Shannon from the surrounding lands. That will start backing up. We must ensure there is a cross-departmental urgency placed on how we will salvage the trees from a drainage perspective. I know this is not under the Minister of State's remit but I know he can bring to bear on this how we will support Coillte to ensure that it makes sure that its drainage arteries are cleared within its own areas. I do not know if it has the mechanism, the manpower or the machinery to do this. If it does not, when we do the Shannon raises on one side, it will be backed up on the other side and we will maroon people in the centre. I am not unique in that regard; that will happen in lots of other areas right down along the Shannon basin.
I wish the Minister of State the very best of luck. I also thank all his staff who work for him at the local offices because they provide us with immense support. Our challenges, however, are great.
Like other speakers, I welcome the Minister of State to the Chamber and, like my colleague beside me, I wish him a very happy birthday. I know that on birthdays it is customary to receive presents but we are looking for presents today so I hope he will give us many.
We would nearly sing him "Happy Birthday" now. If anyone has any cake-----
I might not go that far.
Seriously, the issue of flooding affects all of us right across the constituencies we live in and indeed this country. I want to discuss not only Bantry and the flooding issues we have encountered there but also the issue of road maintenance and river clearance and drainage. As has been mentioned, Councillor John Michael Foley is here from Timoleague. I welcome him. He has been raising the issue predominantly in the Kilbrittain area during recent flood events, so it has been raised at Cork County Council meetings and it is a really important issue we want to see movement on.
As regards the overall flood schemes in west Cork and the towns of Bandon, Clonakilty and Skibbereen, a lot of investment has been put into the area in recent years by successive Governments. The people who live in those towns can sleep easy at night because of the investment, and I thank the OPW and the Minister of State's Department for that investment. The town of Bantry, however, in many respects has been left behind in terms of flood prevention works. The most recent flooding there in October brought devastation again to the town. A culvert runs through the town but it is not sealed. It simply cannot take the volume of water that now falls and needs to pass through. Thankfully, the Minister of State's predecessor, Deputy Kieran O'Donnell, came to town in October. There was criticism of the Minister of State coming to town in that it was only a Minister of State coming to have pictures taken and to be seen and the publicity around it but I pay tribute to the man because since then there has been movement in terms of working with Cork County Council, and a Part 8 application been progressed and finalised for upgrading of the culvert. I thank Cork County Council and the project lead engineer Liam Ahearn for his work on that. We are now at the point of submissions to the OPW for confirmation on the next stage of design on this. That is due to come to the OPW this week. I ask that there be no delay in the progression of this next stage of the scheme because these works are needed. As has been mentioned, flooding can happen during the summer months as well as the winter months. It can happen at any stage. We need to progress this project in Bantry. It is said that it will take about €20 million to upgrade the culvert. I am putting the Minister of State on notice that I will be coming looking for that gift of €20 million for the people of Bantry because the town cannot be left flood again. We need to do all we can. There is an overall flood relief scheme being progressed in the town at the moment, but the culvert is something that can be done simultaneously.
The second issue is the maintenance and clearance of riverbeds. It has been mentioned here a number of times. In my years on Cork County Council it was an issue that was raised continually. I spoke on the issue of disability services last night. Disability services are raised on many doors we go to. It is similar to river maintenance. Once an issue is continually raised, it means it is not being solved. We simply do not maintain our rivers like we used to, and that is not only affecting our property but also risking lives in Kilbrittain, Ballinascarty, the Halfway and Caheragh. Several properties and people's lives are being put at risk. I take on board my colleague Senator Noonan's comments on nature having a role to play in this as well; it does. We can work with and protect nature. For instance, there is a bridge in Caheragh. Both eyes of the bridge are completely backed up with silt, debris and gravel. On the other side of the bridge is a farmer who built back the bank through natural stone and planted trees alongside the river, but the bridge is blocked up. That is having an effect upstream where houses are being flooded. Farmers are afraid to do works because there are fears about Inland Fisheries Ireland and Cork County Council. I know of one farmer who was summonsed to appear in court because of works he did on the river. That is the fear they live with day in, day out.
We need to get real on the issue. I have great confidence that the Minister of State will take on the issue. We need to examine best practice in other jurisdictions. He mentioned engagement with local authorities. We need a board of works and an OPW to get back into our rivers and maintain them. If we cannot have that, we need to grant-aid farmers to allow them to bring in private contractors to clear rivers. We need to think outside the box with the issue. I genuinely have great faith and hope that the Minister of State will take this issue on board, working with all the agencies, including Inland Fisheries Ireland and the EPA, to find a solution. The Arterial Drainage Act has been mentioned. We need to publicise and communicate that Act and ensure people know what they can do and can be funded to do because, ultimately, people's lives and properties are being affected by our lack of clearing and maintenance of drains.
I welcome the Minister of State and wish to be associated with all the congratulations he has received since he came in here. Like Senator Davitt, I soldiered with him in the chamber of Westmeath County Council so he will forgive me if by lapse of memory I call him a councillor or Boxer, but I know he will answer to both. Since I came in, I also have found out that a happy birthday is in order, so we send him good wishes in that regard as well.
I am in a lucky position in that I will not have to bring up any local issues with the Minister of State because I know they are in his capable hands and as a fellow countyman I know this is one of the league tables that Westmeath will be top of when it comes to his efforts and his activities. I welcome that and wish him the very best of luck in his role nationally but I will keep the pressure on him for the local stuff in Westmeath.
The issue I want to raise with him is something I have raised here previously. It is somewhat under his remit but it would also fit in under the remit of his constituency colleague, the Minister of State, Deputy Troy, in the context of insurance. It is the roles that the flood risk assessment maps, FRAMs, have when it comes to insurance, specifically insurance of properties. I have a particular instance outside Kilbeggan where a man was granted planning permission ten years ago, built his house and ticked all the boxes with the planning authority but in the interim new FRAMs were drawn by the Minister of State's Department under CFRAM or whatever and he is now inside a line that was put on a map and his insurance company has raised his premium enormously. He went to get quotations from other companies to mitigate this and they refused to even quote him because he is inside these lines. The Minister of State said in his opening statement that these maps highlight one in 200 year potential events and there is a 1% chance of them happening, but this man and his family and his successors will be paying through the nose for this because they ended up inside a line on the map that is more than 500 m away from the River Brosna. I know the area very well; I am not too far from it. If this man's house is ever flooded, we will all need Noah's Ark around him and everywhere else. I know the people who draw the maps are looking at the one in 200 year events but there are consequences as to where these lines go and there is a serious element when the lines are going on the map of "to be sure, to be sure". As I said, there are consequences. The Minister of State might take this up with the insurance companies as to how they read the maps. Like insuring a car, I can go third party, fire and theft or comprehensive or I can include my windscreen or whatever. If flooding is the problem because people are in a certain location on a map when they are insuring their house, let there be a fraction of a premium increase to cover the flooding element on their insurance, but let it not also cost them that much extra for fire, lightning, theft and whatever else if they are in that situation.
As I have said from the outset, this is not solely the Minister of State's problem. The Department is responsible for the maps, which are the problem. It might be something the Minister of State would take up with the other Department or with the insurance companies in order that in situations where it is a 100- or 200-year event, it will not cripple poor families paying their insurance premiums on an annual basis.
I wish the Minister of State a happy birthday. Although stated by my colleague Senator Rabbitte, I am indeed here to speak about the south Galway and Gort lowlands flood relief scheme and the painstakingly slow pace of progress on this project since the engineering consultants were first appointed in December 2017. That is over eight years ago. This project is critically important. The large-scale flood relief scheme still has not reached the planning submission stage. Since the inception stage, more than €4 million has been spent on the preparation of the scheme in the context of, for example, project and climate modelling by Trinity College Dublin, engineering works, work by engineering and environmental consultants and ground investigation work. Eight years and €4 million in taxpayers' money later, we the people of south Galway have still seen no physical progress on the scheme. If there is a bad flood this winter - we have had a number of such floods over the past 30 years - family homes and businesses, thousands of acres of agricultural land, farmyards and slatted tanks will yet again be flooded. This will have devastating human, environmental and financial consequences for our local area. The Galway to Limerick railway track will flood and be closed. The M18 Galway to Limerick motorway will also be flooded, not to mention numerous local roads. This will all have dire consequences for our region.
This much-needed project has met with successive delays and setbacks over the past eight years. We are, however, slowly moving in the right direction. I ask that the Minister of State familiarise himself with this critical project and put every effort and the resources necessary into progressing this scheme to planning submission stage before the end of the year.
Happy birthday to the Minster of State, Deputy Moran, or Boxer as he is known in Westmeath. I said when he was elected first that I was delighted to see the Boxer back. I really am delighted to see him back because the people of Athlone will always remember him as the man who put himself in a boat and took families out of flooded areas and houses. Unfortunately, when they went to vote the following year, they forgot about him. They did not forget about him this time. I am glad to see that because the Minister of State was hands-on at the time. He was the only one out there with the people. That is what counts.
I would now like to address a couple of matters. As the Minister of State is well aware, there was a scheme in Longford, Westmeath, Cavan and Leitrim called the Rinn and Blackwater scheme. The three local authorities that operated it looked after and maintained the Rinn River, the Black River and numerous other rivers. The group scheme was driven by the three local authorities in conjunction with the local councillors or farmers involved with the scheme. They verified the areas that were blocked as a result of fallen trees, silt banks or whatever. They knew where the problems were. That scheme was disbanded 12 years ago. Since then, we have had nothing but problems in the area the whole way from the Cavan border to Leitrim and on to Longford. It is very simple: we have maintained roads but we need to maintain rivers.
When a tree blocks a river, silt builds up. This causes the formation of a dam, which gives rise to flooding upstream. It is very simple. The rivers to which I refer are all tributaries that run into the River Shannon at some point or other. We must put the scheme back in place and we must give the power back to the councillors who were elected by the people and who know where the problems lie. Will the Minister of State put money into our local authorities? Will he invest it in areas where people had the foresight to know how a river needs to be maintained? Every river has to meander; everybody knows this. Somebody might say that we have to get in and clean rivers out, but we do not have to do so. We do, however, have to maintain rivers. It is very simple.
When ACRES was first introduced, it shut farmers off from letting cattle drink from rivers. Then farmers were advised to go and plant hedges along rivers. There was no maintenance of these hedges. Half of them ended up in rivers and gave rise to the creation dams. We have to think smart about this matter if we are going to move forward. We have to give the power back to either the farmer, through ACRES, TAMS or something else. In other words, where there is a river on a farmer's land, he or she must maintain it and the hedgerow running alongside. It is either that or we give responsibility to the local authorities and fund them accordingly.
Further back, there was one case in County Longford, in the village of Ballinalee, where farmers used to come on a yearly basis and remove gravel from a certain part of the local river. It was a silty gravel and they used it to maintain the roadways through their lands. All of a sudden, crayfish were found in the river and the farmers were told they were no longer allowed to remove the gravel. This has led to homes in the area being flooded. Which is more important, a crayfish or a family home? We have to get smart when it comes to this whole thing.
On draining of the River Shannon, let us call a spade a spade. The Environmental Protection Agency, the ESB, Waterways Ireland, Inland Fisheries Ireland, Fáilte Ireland and An Taisce are involved. Who is really involved? The reality is that the Minister of State is in charge. The buck stops with the Minister of State. These bodies have to understand that the Minister of State is in charge, that the funding comes from his Department and that they must listen to him. They must listen for the betterment of all. If there is a spot in a river, for example, with the type of peatland that has caused the creation of banks in the River Shannon and if something needs to be removed, then it needs to be removed. If a blockage is leading to the flooding of both homes and areas in general, then we need to be smart and remove it.
I am glad to see the Minister of State back in this portfolio. In the past, he has been hands-on. He delivered previously and I know he will deliver in the future. I thank him again for his time here.
I congratulate the Minister of State on his role with responsibility for the Office of Public Works. I wish him well. The Minister of State might remember being down in Galway city a number years ago when he announced funding of over €9 million for the Galway city flood defence works. That scheme is progressing, unfortunately like many others, very slowly. The Corrib go Cósta project is to assess, design and deliver a viable, cost-effective and environmentally sustainable flood relief scheme for Galway city. When I raised this issue some two years ago in the House, I was pretty much told it would be a decade before the scheme would be completed. That is sort of run of the mill for major flood defence schemes. I am ware that it is an environmentally sensitive area, but that is no good when the next storm comes. I am sure there will be another storm and another flood if that storm coincides with high tides.
One of the issues that came up on the canvass in Galway city was the possibility in the meantime, while we are waiting for these things, of floodgates being provided in respect of homes in the Claddagh area of Galway city. I am not sure what the cost of a floodgate is, but it is considerably less than the amount of money being spent on consultants and various reports. Is that something the Minister of State might look into? Could those homes that are occupied and that do not have their own defences be provided with floodgates, be they at the doors or at the gates of the properties? They could go some way towards providing peace of mind and, hopefully, alleviating the impact of flooding. Is that something the Minister of State might take up, if possible?
I concur with some of the comments about waters, cleaning and removing debris. It is important, and I say this as a former Minister of State with responsibility for Inland Fisheries Ireland, that any works be done with the permission of Inland Fisheries Ireland and within season. We cannot advise anyone to do something that will result in them ending up in court. There are examples of trees falling into rivers and being left there. They are no one's responsibility. The owner cannot take responsibility. The rivers are not owned by the State. They are riparian rivers. Who can go in and remove a tree if it suddenly creates a bit of a dam that can give rise to consequences when a major flood occurs? I think of the Owenglin River in Clifden, where there would be examples of flooding having happened.
The second major scheme I want to talk about is the Clifden scheme. There was a major flood there a number of years ago when the Minister, Deputy O'Donovan, was in charge. There were a number of reasons that flood happened but it was a monumental rainfall event. Can we look at leaky dams, as they are called in Scotland, which are upstream to stop the water from flowing down as quickly and to encourage storage of water for a time during the initial downpour? Can that be looked at in places like Clifden and elsewhere? Will the Minister of State provide an update to me, in his own time, about the Clifden scheme? There have been concerns about whether that would be cost-effective. It is important that funding is provided to progress a scheme to protect residences near the Owenglin and the riverside of Clifden. I thank the Minister of State.
I thank the Minister of State for being here today. I am sure everybody will be interested in the replies to the range of matters that have been brought up in this important debate.
I thank Senators again for the opportunity to come before the House today to engage with them directly on flooding matters. I am aware of the significant impact on communities, the distress caused by flooding and the continued flood risk. I have seen first-hand the impact of flooding on people in their homes, their businesses and their farms. I convey my deepest sympathy to all those who are affected by flooding.
The OPW is the lead agency for flood risk management. It has a vital role in co-ordinating the delivery of measures to meet the Government's national flood risk policy and leading a comprehensive programme of measures to address flood risk from rivers.
I took the opportunity to go back into government. I could have sat on the wings and shouted. I did it for a reason. I believe that, in government, you can make decisions, make things happen, and go on to do things for the community, first of all for the people who elected you and, in my role as Minister of State with responsibility for the Office of Public Works, for people throughout the country. I have been in this position before. I believe that 2018 was the roadmap to help communities across Ireland when it comes to funding, with the significance of the catchment flood risk assessment and management, CFRAM, programme. I call it the bible. I call it that for a reason. It gives us a roadmap. As I set out in the early stages, stage 1 to stage 5 is 11 years. Politicians are great when they are announcing a Garda station. They go down, get the cameras and a picture is taken, but they have to wait for ten years. Flooding is the same. There are so many criteria to comply with, including planning, with possible objections, judicial reviews and the habitats directive. I do not want to stand and make excuses. I can say that Government is providing €1.3 billion. It is a huge chunk of money and I have a job to do.
There was much talk of river cleaning today. I am actively looking at it. I want to see something happen with it. I am also looking at ways to improve the minor works scheme. We have many flood schemes in tranche 2. I am trying to find a way to help local authorities to advance those. I will be on the road over the next weeks and will be visiting most local authorities around the country. I will announce schemes and see if there are blockages or if there is anywhere I can help to speed up the process and drive on schemes, particularly for the people whom the Senators represent and the people of Ireland as a whole. I know too well the suffering; I was there. I carried people out of their homes and watched people standing on tables, hanging on to lights as the water got high. I know too well the pressure that Senators are under, communities are under and, most of all, people are under. It affects the farming community. It affects not just one, but everyone.
We have the habitats directive that we have to comply with. I cannot just railroad in machines and say they should do this, that and the other, or I would be at the other end and people would be asking me why I did not follow the proper procedure. I do not like people criticising other Departments. People spoke about the Shannon and the National Parks and Wildlife Service. We all work together. We have worked together in the past. We worked together when I was in this position before. I have no doubt, in meeting all those different models, that we will work together in the future.
I talked about the schemes that are coming to completion and the ones that are at construction. We also have to look at the ones at the planning stage. It is significant compared with where we were. In 2018, very little work was being done because the money was not there. The Government stood up to the task and provided money. I, as Minister of State, have to deliver on that. That is a whole-of-government approach. I met the Taoiseach and Tánaiste. The night before I went into government, we had a long discussion about flooding. I gave a commitment when I got the honour of taking up this role that I would deliver and do whatever is necessary to help communities around the country. I will continue to do that. I will work with every Senator in this House, as I work with every TD in the Dáil.
I am very active. It might be my birthday and I thank Senators for the best wishes, but I have plenty of energy. Since I have gone back to the Office of Public Works, I have kept it going day and night because I have different ideas and projects that I would like to see help communities. I have to praise the Office of Public Works because the people in it are excellent. They are always there for me when it comes to flood management. I assure the House that we have meetings not weekly but daily, and sometimes hourly. Since I have come back into the fold, we have really ramped up where I have been talking to the local authorities.
There is one element of this we have to understand. The minor works scheme is there for the local authorities. When people come into the House and say to me that the OPW is not doing something, I have to say the local authorities drive nearly every scheme. If Senators have an issue, talk to the local authorities, come back to me, and I will do whatever I can as Minister of State. I want to work with those local authorities. I want to work with everybody to help to drive on what we in this room believe is helping communities at large.
I know too well the storms that are coming thick and fast. I know about climate change and about nature. I believe in much of what was said here today but I also have to look at coastal flooding. In my opening remarks, I said that the last time I was in government, coastal flooding was going to take over. The pressure faced by local authorities, farmers and people in their homes around the country is serious. We have to do whatever is necessary to help them. I will do that, working with the local authorities, but it is not easy because the challenges are big. We have to work together to see out those projects.
My door in my office is open to everyone to come up to have a chat, to see where we can find solutions and work together, rather than standing up and having a go at the problem but not actually dealing with it. As I said, I have spoken to a number of councillors around the country. The first thing I am driven by is rivers. The second is the delivery of the schemes. The third is when they will start and finish. It is my job as Minister of State to pursue that. The Senators referred to Lough Funshinagh. That is a real example of us working together, where all the agencies sit around the table and make progress. I intend to drive that progress across the Office of Public Works, working with all agencies and none.
I appreciate the Cathaoirleach's time. I thank him for having me here. The sun is shining but I know too well that it could be raining tomorrow. When people go to bed at night, the last thing they want to hear is the rain and wonder what will happen next. I understand that. I will continue to work with everyone into the future.
I wish the Minister of State the happiest of birthdays. Thank you for celebrating it with us here in Seanad Éireann.
Have you a cake for me?
We will see what we can do for cake. We will definitely get you a creamy bun or something like that.
Before I ask the Leader to move the suspension of the House, I welcome the guests of Deputy Richard O'Donoghue to Seanad Éireann. They are members of the Coolcappa Women's Cave, not women's shed. Am I right? Yes, it is women's cave. They are most welcome to Seanad Éireann. I hope they enjoy their day. If there is a lot of flooding in your part of the world, you are here on the right day. You have the right man. All you have to do now is give him a cake and he will do whatever he can for you.
Do not forget the candles.
How many candles?
One is enough.
We do not want to contribute to global warming. We do not want to have to mobilise the fire brigade either if we put all the candles on the cake. I thank the Minister of State for being here today.
Cuireadh an Seanad ar fionraí ar 2.20 p.m. agus cuireadh tús leis arís ar 3 p.m.
Sitting suspended at 2.20 p.m. and resumed at 3 p.m.