Danny Healy-Rae (Kerry, Independent) | Oireachtas source

I welcome everyone here today from both sides. It is clear there are differing views on how the flooding in Cork should be dealt with. I do not agree with climate change. Flooding and storms happened long before there was ever a combustible engine. I reiterate that in spite of Monday's storm. We have had changes and differences in the patterns of climate going back in our history. It is hard for me to decide who is right or wrong in this matter. If the Government is committed to providing funding to deal with the problem a decision needs to be arrived at sooner rather than later. Everyone should get around the table. That is why I asked whether there is any representation from elected members and there is none. What weight will be given to what we say to the witnesses today? We do not have engineering qualifications. I do not anyway. The people in the Office of Public Works, OPW, surely have and Mr. Hegarty does. We on this side do not.

I have always asked when the flood water comes back up the sewers and the sinks why not have non-return valves fitted? Met Eireann is very good now at advance warnings and we hope that will continue. That would give people a chance to use sandbags or whatever. It is horrible when the sewer water comes into the house. That is worse than clear or clean water coming in. I am sure a non-return valve could be fitted to every pipe. I know a little bit about that through dealing with diesel engines over the years. I am sure that could work.

In the past when people had no hope they would say, "You can’t keep out the tide". The witnesses appear to have a proposal with this barrier. My worry is that if the tide cannot come in, how is the water from the Lee going to get out? That is a big question. Will there be massive pumps pumping the water out over the tidal barrier? How much will it cost to keep it running?

I am of the same view as Deputy Collins. I have been arguing in Kerry County Council and since coming to the Dáil for cleaning out our rivers. They need to be cleaned out. They have not been cleaned out for the past 20 years. Indeed the River Shannon has not been touched since the late 1800s, when the British last cleaned it out. I am glad that Deputies Canney and Moran have finally arrived on the scene with machines.

I am delighted to hear that because we have places in Kerry affected, the Flesk river and many other rivers around the county. They are blocked because they have not been cleaned out. The reason is that farmers have been prohibited from going near any river for the past 20 years because they would lose their farm payments. They have been advised they would be prosecuted and then subsequently lose their farm payments. By and large the farmers would have done a lot of work to keep the rivers clean if they were allowed to do so. I will continue to fight to ensure that will be allowed to happen again because that is causing a lot of trouble all over the country.

I am not able to say who is right or wrong here. We welcome the witnesses and will listen to them. I ask them to get around the table and sort it out quickly. We all know what happens when funding appears to be available. I will give just one example. We had funding for a water scheme in Cloghane iron mills in 2008 or thereabouts. It was granted and sanctioned, and advised to all the members of the council. Word then came that the national finances were banjaxed. We did not get money for that since then. We need to be aware of that. If there is a difference between the two groups represented here it needs to be resolved because the money will go elsewhere and it would be left behind. I would not like to see that happening. I go to Cork too; it is my nearest city. We would like to see everyone happy there and not be continually flooded during bad weather.