Given the very limited time I have, there are two salient points I want to make to the Minister of State and to the House in respect of flooding. Over the past few hours we have heard about the distress to people and the ruination of people's homes at Christmas time, when people were hoping to come together and to celebrate. In Waterford we have seen significant investment by the OPW along the quay and we know it works. However, I found over recent weeks, having met victims of Storm Frank, that where we solved one problem, we often pushed it down the road and created a problem somewhere else. We need a joined-up overall plan when dealing with the issue of flooding because this is not going away. Unfortunately, it will become an increasingly likely occurrence.

The major issue I want to bring to the fore, given the limited time, is the N25, about which Deputy McLellan spoke. This is the major national roadway between Waterford and Cork and it was blocked for over a week. The reason I raise this issue is that in Waterford, if a person has a cardiac event after 5 p.m., Waterford University Hospital cannot treat them in terms of getting access to a cardiac catheterisation lab. They must be transported to the hospital in Cork. The Minister of State can see how imperative the accessibility of our road network is for people, not just in Waterford but in the south east, who use the hospital. There has been a long and ongoing campaign regarding the provision of 24-7 cardiology services in Waterford University Hospital, in which I have been very involved and vocal. The flooding that occurred over Christmas and the prolonged period of flooding on the N25 between Waterford and Cork has serious consequences. This is not just about the day-to-day issues, which are very important for people's livelihood. It could have fatal consequences if people cannot get access to medical treatment. I understand from speaking to engineers in the local authority that we know the damage done to the road infrastructure by the surface water is sizeable, but equally the roads used for diversions are also coming under huge pressure and will require significant investment. I know the Minister of State is covering all the issues regarding what has happened, but our national roads must be accessible at all times, not just for economic reasons but often for serious, life-threatening reasons for the people of Waterford and the south east when they do not have access to 24-7 cardiology services.

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