Brian Stanley (Laois-Offaly, Sinn Fein) | Oireachtas source

Never mind that. On the ground, area engineers are telling me that they cannot mobilise teams because they do not have overseers or crews. The Minister knows that, given the new health and safety regulations, a certain number of people must be mobilised at the same time. One person cannot be sent out to work on his or her own. When reforming local authorities, the Minister should pare away a bit at the top but try to provide staff at local level in what will be called municipal districts.

Drainage boards were mentioned in terms of rising levels along slow-moving rivers. The Barrow is a case in point. That river and its tributary, the Owenass, which flows through Mountmellick, will cause significant problems. In recent weeks, locals in Mountmellick and Portarlington have watched water levels rise. There is considerable concern. Mountmellick is a low-lying town. If the Owenass breaches its banks, there will be major flooding. The county council makes an allocation to the Barrow Drainage Board each year, but-----

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