John McGuinness (Carlow-Kilkenny, Fianna Fail) | Oireachtas source

I have a couple of questions. Let me put on record the Minister of State's response to me on the Arts for Peace project and I want to thank him for arranging that meeting between his officials and Arts for Peace. I understand that will take place soon. I sent some proposals in regard to mediation in respect of the project and I hope they will be considered. I am not expecting the Minister of State to answer that now as this is a comment rather than a question. I look forward to the Minister of State arranging that meeting as soon as possible.

I tabled a recent parliamentary question on actions that were taken by employees of the OPW regarding bullying in the workplace. To put it mildly, the reply I received was not acceptable. The issue raised in the question must be addressed. I wish to advise the Minister of State that those employees felt they needed to raise an issue, which they did, and it is not the only location at which there are issues in respect of bullying. There are a number of areas in the OPW where cases have been raised and have proceeded to some form of arbitration and yet when I asked the question, I was given short shrift. I do not accept that. I ask that the officials review my parliamentary question and I hope the query raised will be addressed.

I now have a question on insurance, where a business has been affected by flooding and does not have insurance. A number of businesses made claims under the Department scheme, but the level of compensation was very low. Businesses have folded because of the flooding. It will cost them substantially more than what is on offer from the OPW to get back into business. In the particular case I am speaking about, one is looking at a cost of €250,000 to get back into business. What is on offer will not allow those concerned to do so. Is any effort being made to look at these cases? I would not imagine there is a significant number of such businesses throughout the country, but there are cases of a businesses beside a river which have been in operation for 100 years and are now affected and cannot now get insurance.

They cannot get back into business, cannot get insurance and had no cover for the last flood. Is there some way the Department would look separately at them or are they completely on their own, with the jobs lost and businesses lost?