Joanna Tuffy (Dublin Mid West, Labour)

I accept the point made by the Minister that the figures are relatively small but the number of staff in Cork County Council is down by 500 since June 2008. Local authority staff in affected areas made a very reasonable decision to call off their day of action. They are working extremely hard but it is clear they are under pressure. Floods are not a new phenomenon but county councils, local authorities and emergency services are working under a lot of pressure. The number of permanent staff in Clare County Council is down by 44, while the number of temporary staff is down by 19. Many of the temporary staff, in particular, would be helping to clear roads and drains to deal with the emergency. These are the practical matters that must be attended to when flooding occurs. After staff losses, those left behind are under greater pressure. Will the Minister display flexibility? Can the councils take on staff specifically to deal with the floods?

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