Jim Daly (Cork South West, Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

As a representative of the Cork South-West constituency, I am well aware of the flooding issue. I know what it is like to get a call from my wife at 2 a.m. to tell me that the fire brigade has contacted her to advise her to prepare to evacuate the house because of the threat of a flood. Indeed, my office in Bandon was flooded last year. I have to take issue with a number of points in this motion as a means of explaining why I do not support it. I had not planned to speak during this evening's debate, but I would like to say a few words now that I have an opportunity to do so. I have to remind my friends in Fianna Fáil that west Cork suffered flooding for 50 years. To the shame of Fianna Fáil and those who were in government for 14 years, absolutely nothing - I mean zero - was done to make progress with flooding schemes in west Cork over the period.

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