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

I make the point that there is no harm in celebrating the work of a local committee that had the vision to pursue the matter and have the castle transferred, creating the greatest economic driver in the city and county and, indeed, in the south east. I have listened to what Mr. Buckley has said. I look forward to 2019 and to acknowledging the people who participated in that event.

At a meeting on 15 February last year, I raised an issue about a business in Kilkenny, namely Brett's Mills, which had been in operation for 100 years. The mill is located just outside the city. The OPW spent some flood protection money on it. I understand that some money was given to the business-owner to assist with flood protection. The flooding that occurred before the last major flood destroyed the house again and put the man out of business. He spent his money, restored the premises and got on with it, but the same thing happened again. Is there any relief for someone like him? The house were his son and family had lived is now destroyed and is uninhabitable. The man moved out of his own property because of the flooding issue and his business has been destroyed. The business had existed for 100 years. It is a mill which had wheels driven by the river. It cannot exactly be moved elsewhere.