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

Up to 25 businesses and private residences were destroyed by floods in and around the square and quays areas of Bantry on Monday night. This left tens of thousands of euro worth of damage to property. There is no accountability here. Flood defence works have been promised to the people of Bantry for decades but there has been no delivery. This is the second time Bantry has been severely flooded in two months. The same is true for other parts of west Cork, including Rosscarbery, Rathbarry, Bandon and Skibbereen, to name but a few. The Taoiseach visited Skibbereen himself. Everyone was told they would be entitled to humanitarian aid, as were the people of Cork city yesterday. This is codding the people as private residents and people with insurance will not get a cent. Yesterday, a business in Bantry gave me a letter it got back from the humanitarian aid scheme. It refused the business any money even though the business was destroyed by the floods and had no insurance. The funding that was promised, where I saw politicians handing out forms like they were confetti, is a waste of time. I ask the Taoiseach to address the many destroyed businesses in Bantry or even those in Cork city and beyond. Will he set up a clear compensation package for businesses and private households which have had property worth thousands of euro destroyed?

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