Sandra McLellan (Cork East, Sinn Fein) | Oireachtas source

A day has not passed in the past six weeks without us seeing the devastating effects of flooding on our television screens. Communities live with the threat of homes and businesses being washed away. Households struggle to rebuild their lives only to have the next flood warning and downpour set them back again. Terms like "Code Orange" and "Code Red" are becoming everyday phrases.

There is not a Member in this House who has not heard heartbreaking stories about families suffering as a result of flood damage.

Local communities and local authorities are not in a position to respond to the daily devastation, and urgently require Government support. That support has not been forthcoming. It is not acceptable that it has taken six weeks for the Minister for Environment, Community and Local Government to come to the Dáil to make a seven minute speech. My home town of Youghal, like so many other coastal towns, has suffered more than its share. In fact, it has now been flooded three times in recent weeks. Anyone who has visited our town will undoubtedly remember the boardwalk at Claycastle Beach. This boardwalk goes right along the length of the beach and links two main car parks at Youghal Front Strand and Claycastle. That board walk has been seriously damaged and must now be rebuilt at a cost of €90,000 as it is very important to the tourism industry in Youghal.

In order to protect Youghal, we require the sea walls at Nealon's Quay, Buttimer's Dock and Market Dock to be expanded and strengthened, while the flood barrier at Nealon's Quay and Mall Dock needs to be built as a matter of urgency. These flood barriers can be constructed at a cost of €200,000 and they will save hundreds of thousands of euro in the long term.

Youghal also requires new groynes at the front strand to be installed. The current groynes are totally ineffective, having been there since the 1970s. In fact, new groynes were part of the recommendation from the coastal management report, which was published in 2000. If this work is not done, we will be revisiting the tears and frustration we recently experienced for many more years.

Last Friday, I was happy to welcome the Minister of State, Deputy Brian Hayes, to Youghal to view for himself the damage caused by the most recent storm and flooding. However, I warned the Government last week that the public wanted action, not words of sympathy and photo opportunities. The Minister of State came and went and no commitment was given by the Government to assist our town in rebuilding itself. The Government must take immediate action. It must happen on three levels.

We have all witnessed the awful scenes from Limerick where people are forced to burn their belongings in case of contamination. First, the immediate needs of people must be met. Homeowners, businesses and service providers need urgent practical and financial aid from the Government, outside the terms of their private insurance, if they have any, to alleviate the impact on people for things like cooking, washing, utilities and bedding, which also needs to be replaced. Second, the Government must put in measures to minimise flooding and flood damage. This will require capital funding to expand and strengthen flood walls and defences. This must be done in consultation with local authorities.

The unfortunate reality is that this weather looks like it is continuing for the near future. Money spent on these capital projects will save money in the long term. Local authorities trying to rebuild their coastal towns have been starved of funding by consecutive governments. The funds simply are not available to repair the terrible damage left behind by the recent storms. Money must be speedily released. It is vital that this Government seeks assistance from the EU. The House needs to know if the Government has been in direct contact with the European Commission and the directorate general for regional policy through its permanent representative in Brussels, Mr. Declan Kelleher, or any other means, to request financial aid through the EU solidarity fund. We know this solidarity fund can be mobilised in the event of an extraordinary regional disaster, as we have experienced here across the State in recent weeks.

A major outstanding issue that needs the Government's attention is that of home insurance. Only today I raised the need for the forthcoming insurance Bill to take into account current problems for those residing in flood plains who cannot get insured. Sadly, the Taoiseach was less than reassuring. While confirming the issue was discussed at this week's Cabinet meeting, there was no commitment to address the issue. This will be cold comfort to the many families living in fear of the next storm. These households must be able to look forward to being included in the forthcoming insurance Bill.

In the meantime, longer term solutions must be found. It is nothing short of a disgrace that after three years in power, the Government has still not published a climate change Bill. The programme for Government states that "a climate change Bill...will provide certainty surrounding government policy and provide a clear pathway for emissions reduction, in line with negotiated EU 2020 reductions". The Government published the heads of a Bill last June. After pressure from Sinn Féin, it agreed to open the process up to the public. Groups, experts and the general public made submissions. The Joint Committee on Environment, Culture and the Gaeltacht held several public sessions and invited in experts. A report was prepared and sent to the Minister, Deputy Hogan, but since that day last summer, we have heard nothing.

It is a total abdication of responsibility not to take action on climate change. Sinn Féin has continued to raise the issue. Our spokesperson on the environment, Deputy Stanley, published a climate change Bill in the hope it would spur this Government into action, but no action has been taken to date. This is unacceptable. The debate on climate change and global warming is long over. The time for action is now. If we do not legislate on climate change, we will be having these debates for years to come and people, their businesses and their communities will continue to suffer because of harsh weather conditions. This current crisis can be a wake-up call to this Government. Not all will be wasted if it takes the appropriate action. It must publish a climate change Bill as a matter of urgency. The Bill must have, as its cornerstones, an independent expert authority advising the Government; science-based targets for the reduction in carbon emissions of between 20% and 30% by 2020, and 80% by 2050 based on 1990 levels; and annual carbon budgets presented before the Dáil.

In conclusion, the current state of emergency requires the Government to take action. That action must be part of a long-term plan. It must entail short, mid- and long-term goals. To do nothing is simply not an option.

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