Caoimhghín Ó Caoláin (Cavan-Monaghan, Sinn Fein) | Oireachtas source

There have been thousands of dreadful experiences across the country in the course of the recent flooding. Those of us lucky enough to escape the worst ravages of the deluges that washed across this land during December and into January watched the television reportage of others' misfortune across whole swathes of the country. We saw homes destroyed, land use lost, animals at risk, and farm machinery, cars and other equipment damaged beyond recovery. Significant areas of rural and urban Ireland have suffered grievously. Our hearts go out to all whose memory of the Christmas season of 2015 will be, not to put a tooth in it, nightmarish. They will never forget this experience and some might never fully recover. Let us, then, as a people, a united people in the face of nature's adversity, pledge not to forget and not to move on with our lives mindless of the loss and suffering of our fellow citizens. There but for the grace of God stand all of us.

We are often globally referred to as a generous and caring people. We respond generously to international appeals for relief for distressed areas. Calamitous events in far off places deservedly receive our individual and collective support. Our aid agencies are world-renowned, deservedly so. However, we must consider whether we are as willing as a people to respond generously, both individually and collectively through State aid, to the plight of our own, some of them our neighbours, as they battle to restore their homes, their livelihoods and their very lives. Unfortunately, the response so far falls miserably short. In tandem with helping people to restore their lives, there is the major and immediate requirement to address the deficiencies in our flood defences, where they exist, the need to construct them where they are now so clearly needed, and the need to address the capacity of our rivers and canals to cope with the new reality of deluge rainfall that could yet present year after year.

Everyone has a responsibility here and a role to play, including the Government, local authorities, the insurance sector, big business, ordinary citizens and Members of this House. Will the Government take the lead and set the example by creating a channel for flood relief donations from business, citizens and all people who love this land, be they living here at home or scattered across the globe? The experience of these past weeks has been a disaster in the lives of many of our people. They are anxiously awaiting a response from us. I appeal to Government and to all political leaders: surely we can stand together and make a difference now.

Before concluding, I refer to the terrible flooding that beset my own county and constituency. Rarely did we get the attention of our national broadcaster and the national media generally, despite the severe flooding that had an impact across all of County Monaghan and parts of County Cavan. The estimated cost of addressing the serious flooding in the area of Monaghan town's shopping centre and credit union is €15 million. Business was seriously disrupted. The Monaghan road into Clones was impassable for all but heavy goods vehicles. The Ballybay to Cootehill road was completely closed. Approach roads to Castleblayney and Carrickmacross were severely affected. Some homes in the Inniskeen area were at risk, as were others across rural county Monaghan and in County Cavan. Some home owners suffered the awful indignity of ground-floor flooding throughout. I appeal to the Minister of State, Deputy Harris, and to the Office of Public Works to ensure the inclusion of the identified so-called hot spots in counties Monaghan and Cavan in the CFRAM programme. No one should doubt the extent of the problem in the counties I represent. The only recorded fatality wholly attributable to the recent flooding took place in County Monaghan, close to where I live, before Christmas. I take this opportunity to record my sympathy, that of my community and, I hope, of this House, to the wife, family and friends of Ivan Vaughan, a popular musician and member of arguably Ireland's top band of years ago, The Plattermen. May he rest in peace.

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