Michael Collins (Cork South West, Independent) | Oireachtas source

I start by commending Fianna Fáil on bringing this Private Members' motion forward. I have seen first hand time time and again the trauma caused to businesses and families by flooding. In 2015, there were unprecedented amounts of flooding, with more than 30 towns and villages experiencing major flooding. More than 540 homes and more than 600 businesses around the country were flooded. A total of 155 of these homes were located in Cork and 135 of the businesses affected were in Cork. Bandon, Skibbereen, Clonakilty, Dunmanway, Ballylickey and Bantry were all hit badly, costing tens of thousands of euro of damage to property. Apart from the devastating physical damage which flooding wreaks on homes and businesses, it must be acknowledged that it also causes a threat to people's safety when emergency services fail to get through in the case of a medical emergency. The economic prospects of those towns are also significantly impaired as would-be businesses are reluctant to move to areas which could be affected by annual flooding.

While the OPW has done major work on flood defence schemes across the country, there needs to be an increase in investment in flood defences in order to ensure that every city, town and village in Ireland is free from the threat of flooding. I would also like to add that more county council workers should be employed to clean out drains and help prevent flooding. In severe weather, the capacity of the drainage system can be overwhelmed by the amount of water trying to run off from the road and flooding can occur. In April 2016, debris and household rubbish blocked a storm drain that was designed to protect property. It caused the flooding of 15 premises in Skibbereen town. Extensive damage was caused to these premises. This damage could have been avoided if the drains had been cleaned on a regular basis, particularly during the rainy season.

Where flood works have been completed and in areas where remediation work has taken place, there is evidence that people still cannot get flood insurance or are being quoted prices that are making it too difficult to get cover. It is estimated that more than 50,000 people are still without flood insurance cover. The absence of flood insurance is not only a major worry for homeowners and the owners of businesses, it also acts as a brake on the economic potential of a town and as a deterrent to any investor. Without flood insurance, these towns and communities lack the key infrastructure that is required to reach their full potential. Homeowners can only sell to cash buyers and businesses cannot borrow to reinvest because banks insist on flood insurance. It is not acceptable that property owners, businesses and farmers continue to be left financially vulnerable because they have no access to flood insurance despite flood defence schemes being put in place. The Government needs to put pressure on insurance companies to provide adequate insurance for these people and businesses as a matter of urgency.

At the outset, I mentioned towns and communities destroyed by floods last year in west Cork: Bandon, Skibbereen, Clonakilty, Dunmanway, Ballylickey and Bantry. In Bandon and Skibbereen, major works have taken place. We must acknowledge success and progress being made. These works have been carried out and are being carried out, with works scheduled in Clonakilty, Ballylickey and Bantry to start soon. This has to be welcomed. I thank the Minister of State, Deputy Canney, who since taking office has been a Minister of the people and not a Minister for the party. I thank the Minister of State for that.

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