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

I welcome the opportunity to speak in this debate. Here we are, after seven storms and at the start of the new year, discussing this issue. What happened is unfortunate. The rainfall and storms we have experienced are not the Government's fault. There has been a good response in some areas but there have been problems. Many of these problems arose in 2009 also and, to a lesser extent, in 2014 with regard to procedures and protocols. While the Government has announced funding to address the crisis, the response needs to be in line with the full scale of the problem and the resulting damage. I hope the Minister will provide more clarity on what resources are available and from where they can be obtained. I would like the Minister to clarify the conditions people will have to meet in order to draw down some of the emergency funding.

In February 2014, I raised in the House the possibility of assistance from the European Union. I know the criteria for disaster aid may not apply to the circumstances we are in.

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