Colm Burke (Cork North Central, Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

The problem I have is that major flooding occurred on 28 June 2012. Houses had more than 6 ft. of water in them. We now have properties, businesses and private dwellings for which people cannot get insurance. The relief scheme was signed off back in January 2021. The whole process that occurred thereafter was too slow, however. When contractors were invited to send in tenders, the cost of doing this work went way up. The Minister of State said it would be a few weeks. I always get concerned about the use of that term because by the time the few weeks are over, costs will have gone up again. Is there any chance we can tie down specific dates for when invitations will be issued for tenders to be submitted, and a specific timeline for when tenders are submitted and agreement is reached on who is awarded the contract? I raised the issue of the time delay with the Secretary General of the Department of Public Expenditure and Reform at a meeting of the Committee of Public Accounts recently. It is a problem we are now running into.

See this speech in context