Mr. Paul Kavanagh:

There have been instances of that. However, in a survey conducted of the people of Fermoy, the vast majority are happy that there are no flood waters coming in and that there is no water coming up the toilets, as there was in Mountmellick last night. The word "insurance" has nearly fallen off the agenda because many people did not have flood insurance cover or, because they have had a previous claim, the flood cover was taken from their insurance policy.

Now, three years after the investment, the flood defences have been tried, tested and proven, there are three pumps in operation instead of one, and Cork County Council engineers are working 24-7-365 out of County Hall, observing the River Blackwater, and have answered all the questions that have been put to them by the companies. We have not seen that letter from Insurance Ireland that has been read out here. I would hesitate on the side of caution to see what is behind the letter because last year Insurance Ireland quite categorically said that they did not recognise the State investment in flood prevention measures. What has changed overnight? I would say it is the work the Joint Committee on Finance, Pubic Expenditure and Reform and Taoiseach has done and the introduction of this Bill by Deputy Michael McGrath.