Patrick O'Donovan (Limerick County, Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

It goes without saying that the OPW knows the people of Crossmolina very well. They have dealt with them over a lengthy period in terms of the development of this scheme and would know at official level, through the local design team that has been in place, what has been endured by the people of Crossmolina and every other town that has flooded. I am being honest in the House tonight. Whatever has been said in the House previously regarding indicative dates, I will not do that because those dates will not, in many cases, be met and then the Deputy and other Members will be in here looking to lynch me over dates not being met. I will not do that because that is not fair to the people of Crossmolina, Cork, Cloonlara, towns in Wexford, Bantry or any of the other towns that are facing the reality of flooding. As I said, a difficult conversation has to be had in this country fairly soon in regard to the advent of climate change and the impact it is having on our ability as a country to protect people from flooding. The sooner we do that, we will do a greater service to the people of Crossmolina and every other town in the country in danger of flooding.

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