Martin Kenny (Sligo-Leitrim, Sinn Fein) | Oireachtas source

Many of my colleagues have discussed the security conclusions of the European Council meeting and indeed the issue with regard to Gaza and what is happening there. The complete inaction of Europe in respect of that is deplorable. I also want to focus on another major issue we have around the world, climate change. We have seen the impact of it in recent weeks, particularly the storms we have had in recent days. A total of 221,000 homes were out of power. Many businesses, farms and people were hugely discommoded, especially business customers. For home customers, I got a message only this afternoon to say my power at home had come back. That is the same for many people around the country. People can cope with it at home in a lot of cases but businesses cannot. Businesses are under serious pressure in that respect. We have to recognise that climate change is going to have a major impact and is going to require investment from Government. We need to recognise that Government has failed to make that investment in many cases. We had a tornado in Leitrim village over Christmas, which I am sure the Minister of State saw. The Taoiseach came down at that time and said every effort would be made to help people and assist them. However, when the people in that village went to look for assistance, the only way they could get it, they were told, was to go to the community welfare officer. That was not much good or what they expected. When Government makes a commitment to provide services and assist people in those circumstances, it needs to back that up with action and it did not in this case. It is very disappointing, as it is in many other areas.

Another issue I want to raise is the storm damage that has been done, particularly in many rural areas. Much of it is done because of forestry that was planted much too close to power lines. Those trees are coming down on top of them now. There needs to be much more forethought with regard to how forestry is laid out given the huge infrastructural damage it can cause when there is high wind of that nature.

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