Conor McGuinness (Waterford, Sinn Fein) | Oireachtas source

One cannot imagine the anxiety they feel every time a storm is forecast, not knowing if the River Bride will burst its banks again and if their homes will be destroyed once more. Over a year on and they have received nothing from this Government - no delivery, no plan and not so much as a visit.

Is féidir Cé Heilbhic, cé iascaireachta i nGaeltacht na nDéise, a lua mar shampla eile. De dheasca gainimh agus siolta, ní féidir le báid iascaireachta nó an bád tarrthála imeacht nó filleadh ar an gcalafort. Tá saolta á gcur i mbaol de réir an easpa infheistíochta anseo. Cé Heilbhic, a fishing harbour in the west Waterford Gaeltacht, urgently requires the Government to fund dredging works as fishing boats and the local lifeboat are prevented from leaving or returning to port in low tides. Lives and livelihoods are being put at risk. This situation was well flagged with the previous Minister, and I implore the incoming Minister to take action before life is lost.

Lismore in County Waterford is yet another example of Government inaction and indifference. This is a heritage town in urgent need of a new water system. Homes, businesses and schools are frequently left without water with no notice. These outages last for days, disrupting businesses, causing schools to close and leading to very real hardship and distress for households, particularly those with medical needs, older people or people with disabilities. Works should have been carried out years ago to deliver a sustainable water supply in Lismore, but it is never too late to make a start. Let us end the neglect and instead invest in sustainable and safe communities that are equipped to withstand the challenges a changing climate and the Atlantic throw our way.

I thank the Ceann Comhairle for the opportunity to raise a very pressing issue affecting a number of families in west Waterford. Twenty children have been left without a space for the coming academic year in our fantastic local special school, St. John's. Their families have been left reeling and uncertain how, where or if the right to education of their children will be vindicated. This lack of special school places did not happen overnight, but it has now reached crisis point. I ask the Minister of State to raise with his colleague, the Minister for Education, the urgent need to increase special school capacity in Dungarvan and west Waterford to ensure all children can access an education appropriate to their needs now and into the future.

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