Dan Neville (Limerick West, Fine Gael)

I would appreciate if the Acting Chairman let me know when four minutes are up. I wish to share the last minute with Deputy Jimmy Deenihan who now has an interest in the area because of the change in constituencies.

The flooding in Newcastle West on 1 August was devastating. It was frightening. Most of the population of Newcastle West was present to see what happened. Such a deluge was never seen in living memory in the area, perhaps never. We challenge the Government to engage immediately with the people of Newcastle West who have had their premises damaged and who require assistance. Rather than passively saying that it is available to listen, the Government should engage actively with the committee which represents the victims of the flood.

The weather on the days leading up to 1 August was wet. Persistent rainfall resulted in a saturated catchment. This was revealed by soil deposits as calculated by Met Éireann. Eyewitness accounts and rainfall radar images indicate that the rain began at around 7.30 p.m. on 31 July and continued until approximately 1.30 a.m. on 1 August, giving a storm duration of six hours. Premises and houses were destroyed. The committee reckoned that up to 200 houses and properties, including business properties, were damaged. The damage cost for that single night is estimated at up to €40 million. Many houses were not insured either because they were owned by elderly people or for a variety of other reasons. People went out of business as a result of the destruction of premises.

The Minister of State, Deputy Mansergh, visited the following evening and saw for himself the devastation in the area of Newcastle West. I visited the following morning with Councillor Jerome Scanlon and saw the damage at first hand before any clear up was attempted. It was so devastating that water six feet deep flowed down streets that never had been flooded previously. Met Éireann has shown that the eye of the storm travelled from Cork towards Newcastle West where it stopped for six hours before moving on. This is what caused the problem.

I want to ensure two things in respect of the Government's response to the needs that exist. First, the authorities in Northern Ireland responded immediately in an interim fashion by offering £1,000 sterling to the victims of flooding in the North. There is adequate precedent for assisting victims of flooding in Ireland in locations such as Fermoy, Drumcondra and other areas of Dublin and I ask the Minister of State to respond in this regard. Second, I ask that the Office of Public Works, OPW, will ensure that everything is done so that were such an event to recur, the system will be able to take it. While the OPW has stated it is a once in 650 years chance, it could happen again next year as it also is a twice in 1,300 years chance. Concerns have been expressed about some bridges and rivers and I ask that the Minister of State's office will make every effort to ensure no finance will be spared in respect of anything that can be done. This should be done without any consideration of the public purse. Finally, as Limerick County Council will incur a massive financial bill on this issue, the Government must respond to it.

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