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

I thank the Minister of State for his response and for his interest to date in visiting the town and surrounding area in his former role. He viewed first-hand the utter devastation that occurred. We were very lucky that no one drowned. If this flooding happened at night-time or the tide had been in, it would have very serious indeed.

Will the Minister of State give some information on when he expects planning permission to be lodged? People would take some comfort if they knew that the second stage of the process was about to happen. I understand an environmental impact assessment, EIA. is also required. Will the Minister of State let me know, now or later, where that is at? Will it serve to delay things further? Will the Minister of State meet, as a matter of urgency, senior officials in Cork County Council, along with his officials in the OPW, to scope this out and drive it forward? There is a sense of a lack of urgency about this matter now. I have raised it almost every week since the floods following Storm Babet almost six months ago.

The people involved need progress. When it rains, people are afraid to go to sleep. It is that serious.

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