Noel Harrington (Cork South West, Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

I also thank the Minister of State for his response. I welcome the €5 million package specifically for business that have been affected. It is unprecedented in the State and a positive development.

I ask the Minister of State to refer again to the Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform the need, as these schemes are being rolled out, for greater proficiency within the agencies to ensure that undue delay in any of these schemes is not entertained. There are now a few in his court, namely Bandon and Skibbereen, and I ask that these would be confirmed at the earliest possible stage.

I take this opportunity to thank the Civil Defence, the emergency services, officials from the OPW, Cork County Council employees throughout the county, local authority employees throughout the country and volunteers in each of the towns and areas. I am sure that without their work much more damage would have been done. I refer, in particular, to Skibbereen where much of the damage was alleviated by a great work and anticipative effort.

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