Louise O'Reilly (Dublin Fingal, Sinn Fein) | Oireachtas source

I thank my colleagues, Deputies Clarke, Martin Kenny, Kerrane and Wynne for tabling this important legislation. Nearly every year, we see images of flooding and we look on with shock and horror at the damage it has caused to homes, businesses, land and livestock. It is especially acute along the Shannon, as well as in Cork, Galway and along the River Barrow. If one speaks to the victims of flooding, they will speak of their initial shock but following from that are long-lasting and lingering impacts to one's home and business. It is never the same after one's home has been flooded. The damage lingers for a long time. The damp and the smell take a long time to leave.

The flooding along the Shannon often elicits a strong feeling from people in my constituency. These areas have strong solidarity with those affected along the Shannon, because people in Donabate and Portrane are affected, not by flooding but by coastal erosion. I gave them a commitment that I would use the opportunity this evening to raise their concerns. These communities see their families, friends, neighbours, homes and gardens all fall into the sea. Across Portrane and Donabate, the sea is eating into the coastline. It is dragging homes into the sea. The reason this is so infuriating to those affected communities is because, just like those who are victims of flooding along the Shannon, this is entirely preventable. We have engaged and battled with Fingal County Council to get a resolution to this. We have engaged with Ministers. Every time, it is batted back. The Government needs to take some action on this. It needs to instruct Fingal County Council to protect these homes. One family described to me the protection available to them. It is like the fire brigade turning up when one's house is on fire and telling that person that they will not put it out.

The people along the Shannon deserve to have their homes and businesses protected, and the people along the coast in Portrane and Donabate deserve no less. I implore the Government to start taking flooding and coastal erosion more seriously. We cannot escape the fact that much of the damage caused is a result of the climate crisis. Let us start protecting people, their homes and businesses, as well as tackling the climate crisis.

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