Eugene Murphy (Roscommon-Galway, Fianna Fail) | Oireachtas source

I accept that one can run into difficulties and problems. However, a few things concern me in this regard. I acknowledge the Minister of State's undoubted role in this. He is in contact and some works are being carried on. In my county, however, because of the flooding and because the River Shannon runs from one end of the county to the other, people who should be relocated have not been relocated. I accept certain works are being done on the River Shannon. In terms of maintenance and the amount of silt and peat in the River Shannon, I had thought there was some agreement with Bord na Móna that there would be a pilot scheme to remove some of it. Finally, my party brought forward a Bill on the ESB's control over the levels of water on the River Shannon. That Bill has been sitting there for probably two years at this stage and it needs to be progressed. I am sure the Minister of State agrees that we need to provide a single management board in charge of the River Shannon, rather than having all these groups.

I appreciate the effort the Minister of State has made. I do not question that in any way. Because of climate change, however, we must get twice as busy and twice as serious about this.

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