Éamon Ó Cuív (Galway West, Fianna Fail) | Oireachtas source

I dtosach báire, ba mhaith liom a rá go bhfuil scrios déanta ar chósta na Gaillimhe ó chathar na Gaillimhe chomh fada leis an gCaoláire Rua. Tá an chuid is mó den chósta sin ag breathnú siar ó dheas. Tá scrios déanta ar an gcósta, ar an mórthír agus ar na hoileáin. It was literally the perfect storm consisting of high seas building up over a period of time combined with a spring tide. This was accompanied by a high wind that came right at the time of the incoming high tide. If the wind had come six hours earlier or later, the damage would not have been the same. It amazed me to see some of the damage in places that would have been regarded as relatively sheltered by islands, for example. One indicator of the unusual nature of the storm is that at one end of Roundstone village, some houses were flooded which had been built 100 years ago and which had never been flooded previously.

We need to be practical when dealing with the situation. When we have looked at the pictures and mentioned all the places that have been destroyed, we will need to have a plan to deal with the issue. The response has been tardy in making money available for local authorities. Infrastructure has been damaged or destroyed. Some roads are the responsibility of the local authority while others are not. Sea walls and piers may be in council charge while others are not. Slipways, walkways, blue flag beaches and graveyards are part of the public infrastructure. Private property has been damaged which will have been insured in some cases but not in others. Houses with a history of flooding - as the Minister of State will know - find it almost impossible to get insurance. There has been significant destruction of farmland. I compliment Deputy Andrew Doyle for agreeing to debate the farming issues with the relevant Departments. As other speakers have observed, land which no longer exists is shown on satellite maps. It will present a significant challenge for farmers to have accurate maps for next year. Fences and stone walls have been destroyed in my area. Stones were thrown over the strand, the dúirling and the areas of green grass at a distance of 50 yards. Fences, boats and fishing gear have been destroyed or disappeared. Avenues and roadways to houses - little bóithríns leading to farms - have disappeared in the tide. In my view, before talking about the hundreds of millions of euro, each county council should be given an immediate allocation of money for urgent works. I cannot understand why that did not happen the week of the storm. The county councils should have been provided with €10 million or €15 million to attend to urgent works. An assessment of the damage must be undertaken as well as a comprehensive plan to repair all the damage to public property. Roads and piers not in council charge are public property. There needs to be a plan to repair all these whether in council charge or otherwise.

We need to consider the issue of sea defences. I accept that nature will beat us at times because we cannot protect against all eventualities. However, we must consider where sea defences have worked and where there is a likelihood of a reoccurrence. A financial package will be required for longer-term work. It is imperative that an application is made to the European Union and that we once again underline that because of its climate, Ireland is more likely to suffer a series of non-catastrophic natural disasters which may not amount to 0.6% of GNP or the unrealistic figure required by the EU which in Ireland's case is damage amounting to €750 million. A case should be made because the EU paid out on a previous occasion.

The only practical way to attack the repair of coastal walls would be for the Minister for Social Protection to approve further participants in the rural social scheme and to provide extra money for materials in order that the coastal walls and walkways which are between the sea and the first field could be replaced and rebuilt. Many farmers will not be in a position, because of age and otherwise, to rebuild these walls.

It is important the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine makes an ex gratiafund available to assist farmers, fishermen and others who face exceptional losses as a result of storms which could not be insured against. We need a derogation from the compliance rules from the Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine given damage caused by the storms and this must include the map issues.

There is a humanitarian aid scheme, which is on the website of the Department of Social Protection. However, it seems the Department did not highlight the fact the scheme exists for people who face personal losses - for example, damage to a house which could not be insured. It is very important the Government and the Department of Social Protection make it clear to people that there is such a scheme, that there are applications forms for it and that assistance is available.

I am very disappointed that we are having a rushed debate. I would say there is an attitude of get it over with and get on with it. This needs detailed working out. Would the Minister be willing to agree to a committee of the Oireachtas, or a sub-committee representing different committees, being given the job of teasing this out with each Department so that we could come up with a comprehensive plan into which all of us can buy and which deals with the damage both sides of the House agree is very severe?

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