James O'Connor (Cork East, Fianna Fail) | Oireachtas source

I support my colleague, Deputy Stanton, on this. There is an urgency around getting mitigation measures put in place which the Minister of State will be familiar with. We must wait a period of time before the flood defences can be built. I welcome the funding being made available to progress this as a matter of urgency, but obviously we have to go through the statutory and regulatory barriers first. I am sure the Minister of State will give us his full support in that regard. There is a real urgency around mitigation in the interim in case something occurs in the next few years before these flood defences are built. I was with Councillor William O'Leary in Rathcormack, and it is worth referencing that it is awaiting a decision. It is in tranche 2. I want to see whether it can be brought forward to tranche 1 in order that works can be got under way immediately to protect Rathcormack from flooding as well. There are areas that will require consideration of our flood defences following what happened with Storm Babet. I am certain it is something the Minister of State will continue to engage with Deputy Stanton and me on.

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