Simon Coveney (Cork South Central, Fine Gael)

Does the Government plan to put a fund aside for infrastructure that has been destroyed as a result of increased water flow? I know, for example, that at least two bridges in County Cork have been entirely destroyed. Will the local authority have to find the funding to pay for those or will national funding be provided? In light of the volume of rainfall we had recently, will the Department work with the ESB to re-evaluate the flood risk from the two dams at Inniscarra? Will the Minister work towards trying to achieve infrastructure that will ensure that we have two sources for all drinking water supplies? Our electricity grid has two sources so that if electricity is cut from one source, the power will come from the other. We should apply the same principle to water supply so that if water is cut off because of an emergency such as the one we had in Cork, we will have an alternative supply.

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