Bríd Smith (Dublin South Central, People Before Profit Alliance) | Oireachtas source

What impact do the witnesses think that report will have on this programme? Does it ratchet up the seriousness and urgency of the investment proposed and the development of what the OPW is trying to do here, which is really interesting and worthwhile? I imagine that the report rang alarm bells that the OPW needed more investment and needed to do more, and sooner. I would like the witnesses to talk about this point.

In line with that, Mr. Buckley talks about a €1 billion investment required to design and construct 118 flood relief schemes. Does he think this investment is nearly enough? Does he think, knowing what we know now, it may need to be ratcheted up? He gave us the scenario of a possible rise in sea levels of 50 cm to 1 m, resulting in peak flood flows in the rivers of 20% or 30%. On what is Mr. Buckley basing this? Where is the figure coming from? He did not just pluck it out of the sky. Again, in line with the climate change projections, could this be more serious and could it change? If so, would the OPW then need more investment in what it is trying to do with the flood measures etc.?

My last question is kind of in line with that. If we spend all this money - say, €1 billion, or perhaps €2 billion - can Mr. Buckley project from that what we might actually save, first from the destruction, the loss of both life and property, damage to animals and cities and towns and everything else that could happen and, second, in terms of the penalties and fines that could come hurtling down on top of us from Europe if we fail to reach the Paris targets? Is Mr. Buckley concerned that setting a target of a 33% improvement in energy efficiency in the public sector is not good enough, again in light of the IPCC report?