David Stanton (Cork East, Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

I understand that the Minister of State is only standing in for the Minister and that he did not write this reply. He probably has nothing to do with it and he is only reading out the script, as I have done myself on many occasions when I was in that position. It is disappointing that there is not an indication on how much has been requested by the council. Perhaps the Minister of State can go back and ask for that information from the Department of Transport. Has a request been made and for how much? He might let me know what it is.

It is also disappointing and a bit alarming when the Minister tells us it is expected that road grants will be issued in early 2024. What does that mean? Is it January, February or March? Does that mean that many of the roads which are still closed and that are damaged and dangerous, as the Minister has acknowledged in his response, will be left that way until some time in early 2024 and then the council will have to go off and start tendering and getting contractors in to do the work? We could be talking about the summer before some of these roads are brought back into use again. I have been highlighting this for quite a bit and I will keep highlighting it and bringing it up because otherwise the file might end up on a dusty shelf somewhere and be forgotten about. The people in the area are very concerned. There are also some private bridges which were very badly damaged and are now dangerous. They could fall into rivers leading to more flooding. In the background the flood relief scheme needs to be advanced as a matter of urgency. Interim measures to do with the flood relief scheme also need to be put in place. Very often when something like this occurs everyone goes into a flutter and a flap and they say “God this is terrible” and that they will do this, that and the other. Then when it dies away, people just kind of forget about it and then the next crisis comes along. But for the people of east Cork this is still very worrying. People in Midleton are very concerned that we could have another flood leading to more devastation. There is a lot going on here and a lot needs to be done but the road network is really crucial along with bridges, including some private bridges like Moore's Bridge and Water Rock, and needs to be taken into account. The council is doing its best but it really needs the Department and the OPW to step up to the mark and assist.

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