Pearse Doherty (Donegal, Sinn Fein) | Oireachtas source

Tá leasú agamsa fosta. Cuirfidh mé é chun tosaigh níos déanaí. I will move the Sinn Féin amendment to this motion at the appropriate time. I thank Deputy McConalogue and his Fianna Fáil colleagues for the opportunity to debate this issue tonight. Everyone has spoken about the devastation that visited the Inishowen Peninsula and areas like Raphoe last month. One really needs to have seen what happened in order to understand its impact. It is important for me to join every Deputy who has spoken up to now in recognising the hard work and dedication of those who have helped the victims of this tragedy. I refer to the local authority staff, the Defence Forces personnel, the members of the emergency services, the volunteers and everyone else in the community who has been involved in the response efforts in the region to date. I am not just referring to people from the Inishowen region; I am speaking about people right across County Donegal and further afield who have been contributing to the effort to return everybody to a stable position.

As I said, we welcome the tabling of this motion, the text of which recognises the serious damage, devastation and destruction caused by last month's flooding, as well as the havoc it wreaked on communities throughout north Donegal. It also acknowledges and heaps praise on the various authorities and responders who provided assistance to those affected by the flooding, as well as those who led the clean-up operations. The Sinn Féin amendment, which seeks to add to the issues highlighted in the Fianna Fáil amendment, refers to the negligence of the Government in abdicating the legal obligation of the State, like all EU member states, to plan and act to prevent flooding where possible, a point which is underlined by "the continued failure of the Government to submit Flood Risk Management Plans to the European Commission in line with the requirements of the European Union Floods Directive". This is further evidence that too little time and care has been directed towards protecting citizens from the ever-increasing threat posed by adverse weather conditions and patterns.

This motion alludes to the fact it is no secret that the Government has been too slow in constructing and introducing the necessary flood defences, schemes and mitigation measures. Communities the length and breadth of this State have been left abandoned by successive Governments even though the localities in question have a history of flooding or have been identified as being at particular risk. I would like to refer to a particular part of County Donegal in this context. We all recognise the schemes that have been put in place and the actions that have been taken by the Minister of State, Deputy Moran, and all the other players, including the local authority, to provide humanitarian aid. Castlefin, which is a number of miles down the road from Inishowen, was flooded twice within a year. This caused devastation to businesses and properties. There was no response at that time. People there are asking why they could not access the schemes that are being made available now.

While I recognise the progress that is being made, I remind the House that some communities are being left behind. In June of this year, I asked the Government why it was not committing to flood mitigation measures in Burnfoot. A number of months later, many houses in that village were completely destroyed, unfortunately. Families that were left on the side of the road were completely devastated because their homes were no longer habitable. People did now know where they could go or where they could sleep that night. They did not know where they could call home. They were worried that they would be taken away from their communities and their family supports. I hope the Minister will inform us that the flood mitigation measures in that area are going forward and that local authority houses and all other houses will be secure for the time ahead.

It is time we got tough with the insurance industry on the issue of insurers refusing to provide cover to householders and businesses. In my view, they cannot continue to do what they are doing to vulnerable businesses and households in County Donegal and right across the State. In our amendment to this motion, we call on the Government to "immediately convene a consultation process with all of the farming representative organisations, the Office of Public Works and Inland Fisheries Ireland to examine how water sources, such as rivers and streams, can be better maintained to mitigate the impact of flooding in the future and to amend the relevant legislation if necessary". Similarly, the amendment seeks to "ensure that the current review of the Areas of Natural Constraints (ANC) Scheme results in adequate compensation for farmers with land prone to flooding". Such farmers may suffer financial losses as a result of future flooding events.

I will conclude by saying it is obvious that the inaction must stop. The time to act fast has already passed. We owe it to the communities in Inishowen, in other parts of County Donegal and right across the State to put in place the best strategy and the best measures to protect them from adverse weather patterns. Before this debate finishes, I would like someone on the Government side to comment on the plight of Cockhill Celtic, which is a very large football club in Buncrana that saw its playing fields destroyed during last month's floods. Those involved in the club have no certainty on whether the Government is about to step in here. No timeframe has been set out. I want to make a similar point about Swan Park, which I visited in the company of Senator Pádraig Mac Lochlainn. The devastation there can be seen by one and all. People want to know whether the park will be restored to its former glory. If so, what is the timeframe for that? I hope we can get clear commitments from the Government on both of those issues before the night is out.

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