Seán Canney (Galway East, Independent) | Oireachtas source

I have asked my officials to make contact with Offaly County Council to review the case of Banagher. Dredging on the Shannon came up this morning at our group meeting and all parties are now going to look at it, both from the point of view of what we can do in the short term and what we can do in the long term. Waterways Ireland is reviewing some of the pinch points so that we can find out more information. Some costs are being bandied around and I want to get a true picture of them. We may have to take one or two of them out in a pilot scheme to see what that would cost.

We will not solve the problems with flooding from the Shannon in one winter. The Deputy referred to the number of county councils along the catchment but a single agency will not do anything this winter. I assure the Deputy, though, and people who live along the Shannon, that I will do everything I can. The Taoiseach attended the meeting we held this morning and that is a reflection of how important the issue is to us.

In terms of investment, we have €430 million to spend over the period 2015 to 2021, and this year we will spend approximately €50 million. In two years' time that figure will have been cranked up to €100 million. There is money but we also need to overcome the challenges to getting work done throughout the country. People might ask what is happening but, by the end of this year, 12 major flood relief schemes will be under construction. Last year, there were four so we are cranking it up and I assure Deputies that I will keep the pressure on.

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