Michael Ring (Mayo, Fine Gael)

I thank the Ceann Comhairle for selecting this matter for debate on the Adjournment. The Minister will recall that in 2006 and 2007 there was very serious flooding in south Mayo. A number of houses were flooded, as was shown on RTE at the time. It was a terrible flood, particularly in the Roundfort-Hollymount area.

Funding was provided last year but there was a major dispute about a report from the Office of Public Works, OPW, for the national parks and wildlife service. This has been going on for 12 months. Yesterday, I received a reply to a parliamentary question stating that the OPW report has been completed and has gone to the national parks and wildlife service. I will not go over the top, but the family in question contacted me this week because it had to be evacuated from its home again three years on. Once was enough. Funding is in place but, because of disputes between two State agencies, the family's house has been destroyed again. The Minister of State might not be able to confirm something for me now, but I hope he will over the next number of days, namely, whether the OPW will start the work early in the new year. I tabled a question to the Department of the Environment, Heritage and Local Government regarding the NPWS to determine whether the latter is satisfied.

Mayo County Council, the OPW and the NPWS are responsible for the home's flooding. I met the NPWS in July and I asked it and the OPW, no matter the problems, to sit down and try to get the report done and the money spent before the winter season. We waited and waited and I tabled question after question. Lo and behold, nothing could be done until the house was flooded a second time. Only then could everyone get together and get the report done. I hold both agencies responsible for flooding the home. If they had done what they were supposed to do, we would not have had this problem.

Mayo County Council, the OPW and the NPWS told us for 15 years that the problem in Kilmaine could not be resolved. Locals told them how to resolve it and a small amount of money got the job done. This week, I was told by telephone that, despite all of the rain and flooding, not a bit of water had entered those people's lands or homes.

The €200,000 was allocated by the Minister of State's Department. I want it spent and the families protected. If the money had been spent and they got flooded again, at least the Minister of State, his Department and the council would have tried. The money was available, but two agencies instead fought over snipes and birds and showed no interest in families' homes. I want the problem to be resolved. I want the Minister of State to confirm in the House that he will take on this case personally, check it out and tell me that the work will start in the new year. The NPWS will be happy with the Department's report.

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