Tommy Broughan (Dublin North East, Labour) | Oireachtas source

I join with the Minister in expressing solidarity with the nearly 300,000 people who are without electricity tonight and also with the emergency services who are desperately trying to reach them and to restore power. The thoughts of all Irish citizens go out to the embattled households who have struggled against flooding over the past month in particular and especially in Cork city and in the Cork coastal districts, in Limerick and the Shannon basin, in the coastal areas of Connemara, Mayo, Clare and the Minister's area in south-east Leinster. The flooding of recent weeks highlights the need for major national funding for flood protection and prevention works over the medium and long term. We should be thinking in terms of the period 2030 to 2050 with regard to coastal protection and the management of flood river basins.

Citizens also deserve full, open and transparent information about flood plains and the hydrology of homes and districts in which they may choose to live. The developer-led construction in the 1990s and 2000s meant that issues about hydrology were the last things on people's minds. My area of Dublin Bay North in the northern fringe saw proposals for huge high density development in an area very close to a very sensitive hydrological area and the high density was unjustified in hydrological terms.

I welcome the reported €95 million total funding to be allocated through the Department of Environment, Community and Local Government, to repair damage caused by the recent bad weather. However, I am concerned that this may not be enough. The Minister of State, Deputy Paul Kehoe, thanked everyone on this side of the House because we were not blaming the Government for the bad weather but we can blame the Government because it has cut the OPW budget flood risk management by 11% between 2012 and 2013 and it has been marginally cut once again last year. This Government knew the situation when it came into office. In 2009, Cork city was nearly drowned and there was flooding in Dublin city in 2010 and 2011, yet that key budget was cut again. While the funding is welcome, the Minister, Deputy Hogan and the Minister of State, Deputy Brian Hayes, have serious questions to answer in this regard, knowing that flood defences and flood risk management must be a key issue. I welcome the comments by the OPW to the local authorities about the necessary additional funding for repair of the damage but efforts must be focused on managing future significant flooding, including in my constituency of Dublin Bay North.

Professor John Sweeney of NUI Maynooth has explained cogently the confluence of high winds, rising sea levels, low pressure and heavy rain which are set to become more frequent with a consequent increasing number of significant flooding events of the kind we have experienced in recent weeks. Professor Sweeney has called for efforts to reduce greenhouse gas emissions. It is astonishing that the Climate Change Bill has not been enacted even though the Minister has been in power for three years. That important contribution to this issue has not been put on a statutory basis.

Engineers Ireland represents 24,000 engineers. In its recently published report, The State of Ireland 2014: A Review of Infrastructure in Ireland, it listed a series of deficiencies in flood prediction and prevention and downgraded the Government's response to a D grade from a C grade last year. The association issued a list of important recommendations which should be implemented.

In the area of Baldoyle in my constituency of Dublin Bay North, we have seen the impact of good funding on flooding. Much of Baldoyle parish is a polder. In my first years in this House, Baldoyle had annual flooding disasters and on one occasion a young teenager was killed. The Abbey Park and district residents and the Baldoyle Community Association ran a campaign for flood protection and remedial measures. To be fair to the Government, at the time we secured that funding and since then the situation in Baldoyle has been greatly alleviated and the annual flooding of the Moyne river and the Grange stream no longer occurs. It is an example that if a Government is committed and is prepared to spend the money, success can be achieved.

I wish to refer specifically to the River Naniken flood relief project in my newly expanded constituency of Dublin Bay North. Urgent financial support for a hydrological analysis and remedial works is critically necessary. The River Naniken runs from Santry for just over 6 km until it discharges into Dublin bay behind North Bull island through St. Anne's park. The river is piped except for a small section which runs through St. Anne's Park, Raheny. The new Dublin City Manager, Owen Keegan, recently provided me with an up-to-date report on the project, including maintenance and construction work that has been completed by Dublin City Council to date. He noted in his report that since 2008, there have been three major flood events in Dublin with a number of smaller incidents and to which a previous speaker referred. Mr. Keegan listed a large area including Ardlea road; Ardmore drive; Ardmore park; Brookwood avenue; Brookwood rise; Hazelwood park; James Larkin road; Kilmore road; Maryfield avenue; and Maryfield crescent. This area in Artane has suffered greatly from the flooding of the River Naniken. Regular maintenance work is carried out by Dublin City Council but it needs support for a full hydrological survey which will cost €40,000 and many multiples of €40,000 to carry out the necessary works. Mr. Keegan has put that case to the OPW and to the Minister, Deputy Hogan and the Minister of State, Deputy Brian Hayes. I hope that Government Deputies for Dublin Bay North will ensure that this funding comes through for the River Naniken which, if not dealt with, could cause serious flooding of a large part of Dublin Bay North.

A related and critically needed project is taking place in Clontarf. Since February 2013, a joint working group of Dublin City Council, the Clontarf Business Association and the Clontarf Residents' Association, has met on nine occasions to agree on a strategy for the development of Clontarf promenade, including flood alleviation measures and to ensure that the major flood that happened three years ago will not recur and affect the historic and beautiful Clontarf district. At this point, according to a recent update provided to Dublin City Council, the joint working group has agreed that some form of flood defence is required at Clontarf but that the visual impact on the promenade of another such defence should be minimised. It has been suggested that a dual defence comprising the existing sea wall and a secondary defence as close as possible to Clontarf road should be advanced as this would minimise the potential visual impact of introducing further flood defences. The recent report provided to councillors also cautioned that other options to protect certain higher risk areas of the promenade from flooding require a full flood scheme to be developed and agreed and a funding stream secured. This is another project in Dublin Bay North for which it is hoped this Government under the Minister Deputy Hogan and the Minister of State, Deputy Brian Hayes - who may not be much longer in their Departments if they secure some of their ambitions - will provide the funding.

I commend the Clontarf Residents' Association, the Clontarf Business Association and Dublin City Council for engaging with the joint working group and advancing the project. I noted this morning and on other days that waves are being swept over the wall at the Clontarf linear park walkway. Dublin City Council and local residents must be commended on the large sandbag defence measures in place since Christmas. Agreed key works necessary to ensure safe flood defences at Clontarf must go ahead as soon as possible.

In Dublin Bay North, there is also an ongoing flood alleviation scheme on the Wad River, the Clanmoyle scheme, near Clontarf Golf Club. I understand from a recent report that a number of meetings have been held with relevant stakeholders and that various legal and financial obstacles are still being overcome but a sufficient number of these have been resolved to continue the site works. This is a third project in my constituency which will need strong support from Government.

The thoughts of all citizens this evening are with fellow citizens in the areas which are stricken by this incredible weather. I notice the leader in the neighbouring jurisdiction said that whatever funding is required will be provided to remediate and repair the damage caused by flooding the UK. Perhaps that is the kind of template we need in this country that whatever funding is required will be provided for these households and that we will have a vision and a system of financial support for the 2020s, 2030s and beyond to alleviate this horrendous problem for so many households.

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