Richard O'Donoghue (Limerick County, Independent) | Oireachtas source

The next point is flood readiness. As I stated earlier, in August and September there were flash floods in areas not in flood plains. Again, we need to ensure our local authorities are ready and available with generators for localised flooding events. They need generators to pump water back into rivers. We need to discuss that with the Office of Public Works. Last year, no funds were available to do this.

I have seen properties being flooded twice within one week. The OPW has come out this week and said it is recruiting. Where is it recruiting? It is recruiting in Dublin and that is no good to me. Recruitment within the OPW section has gone from 500 to approximately 57. Maintenance is not being done every year or twice a year. This is a major contributory cause to what is happening now. We have people who are not living on flood plains but whose properties are being flooded. This issue needs to be raised.