Danny Healy-Rae (Kerry, Independent) | Oireachtas source

I thank the people of Kerry for sending me up here again for a third time. I thank each and every one of them. They all know who we are, my family and all the people who work for me. I thank them all so much for depending on me and sending me up here again to talk for the people of Kerry and to represent Kerry, and I thank them for electing Michael, my brother.

A Chathaoirligh, do not tell them I am here at all. There are a lot of people trying to stop me talking. Do not let on that I am here at all but I will stay here as long as the people of Kerry want me to stay, and not the begrudgers who do not want to allow me to talk.

First of all, I congratulate the new Government and I wish it well. We are talking about the storm. I have a lot more to say in thanking the people of Kerry but we are talking about the storm and the snow because the two things are combined in that the same thing happened both times in that the electricity went out. Basically, it is caused by trees falling on lines. We have seen the sad episode where a tree fell on a young man going home from work in Donegal. It would have been the same whether it had been in Kerry or outside of our door. He was one of our own and he was killed by a falling tree. There should be no tree within falling distance of the road or the lines - full stop. That is the lesson we have learned. I am not blaming for what has not been done up to now but I am asking for it to be corrected now, and I am depending that it will be done, whoever has responsibility for it. Maybe it is my brother. I will be asking him and all in the Government to ensure recognition is given to the fact that trees are falling down on the top of people.

I thank the people who did so much: the local authorities, the ESB, and especially those who went out to those with autistic children and got it going for them. I include Eir, the fire squad, the mountain rescue team that rescued the families in Cordal. There were three places badly affected in Cordal, Brosna, Scartaglin and Gneevgullia.

I do not want this happening anymore on our watch. This will have to stop and the lines will have to be upgraded. I thank the Cathaoirleach for his indulgence. We have to thank the farming community, all of them, and then the Kelly brothers, like other contractors, who cleared the roads-----

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