Brian Cowen (Laois-Offaly, Fianna Fail)

The Army is always available to assist the civic authorities where called upon and available. In many parts of the country in which the Army was required during the flooding, it was very good at sand-bagging operations and arranging preventive measures at danger points in many towns at risk of flooding from their rivers. I saw all of these actions taking place. Where its assistance was sought by a local emergency co-ordination committee, it provided personnel and did an excellent job. It was also an opportunity for the wider civil community to recognise the Army's professionalism in all that it does. I always have been impressed by how training, discipline and effectiveness are brought to bear on situations I have seen at first hand. It is commendable.

Regarding the roads, in exceptional situations such as this, local authorities estimated a sum of €180 million, subject to further assessment. Some €240 million was provided by the Department of Transport to be used by local authorities with their full discretion. My understanding from my area is that, on a cross-party basis, councillors were anxious to ensure the money went to those roads this year, even if it meant deferring other improvement works in other parts of the county through projects that were not of the same magnitude of importance in terms of providing a basic road network in those areas. That work has been deferred, which is sensible. We all know there is no money and when one does not have money, one must use what is there to best effect. That is a case of local authorities using their local know-how and local engineers accurately assessing where the real need exists in the course of this year. Some of these areas are coastal areas and require particularly quick attention because of the impact of frost and severe cold on the passibility of some of these roads. Not every problem can be solved overnight. Many of the more serious ones are being attended to because of the discretion being applied to spending allocations.

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