Cathal Byrne (Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

I thank the committee for hosting today’s proceedings. It is important that the report be analysed in detail. I acknowledge the presence of the Lady’s Island drainage committee chair, Councillor Ger Carthy, and Lisa McDonald, a former Member of Seanad Éireann. As a former member of Wexford County Council, I acknowledge the contribution of the representatives from the council.

I have quite limited time and a number of questions I want to get to grips with. The first is this: who is ultimately responsible for addressing this? I noted the comment that there should be not an air of blame but, to achieve that, we must get to grips with this. Earlier, it was mentioned that four different agencies were contacted on this issue and each said another was responsible. Who is ultimately responsible for addressing this, and is there a need for a task force to get people together? Maybe it will emerge from this meeting that there is a need for a task force. Which agency is actually responsible for taking the lead on this? That is my first of four questions.