Paul Donnelly (Dublin West, Sinn Fein)

We face extreme weather and flooding has become more severe and recurring across the State. From the Shannon Basin to coastal towns and rural communities, the devastation caused by rising waters continues to impact families, livelihoods and local economies. Climate change, inadequate infrastructure and years of Government inaction have left too many communities vulnerable. Last year, 2024, was the fourth-warmest year on record, with storms affecting communities, bringing heavy rain and winds, flooding and coastal erosion. According to the annual climate statement for 2024, due to rising sea levels, the risk of storm surges and coastal flooding around Ireland is expected to increase along with compound events of heavy rainfall and high tides. It seems like every year storms get worse. I am originally from just across the Liffey, the East Wall area. There has always been a threat of flooding there because it is all reclaimed land and it is low-lying. I recall in the past number of years a severe flood event in the houses just behind my mother's in the north inner city and the floodwaters came close to her house. The fear was that the whole place would be submerged. It needs to be addressed.

I will focus on the impact on small businesses. They suffer massive property damage, loss of stock and prolonged closures without adequate support. Everyone accepts that local shops, cafés and services are the backbone of our communities. We call for a properly resourced and proactive approach to flood defence, not reactive, cleaning up after disaster strikes. We heard time after time over the past hour about areas where there is a constant risk of flooding. This issue must be looked at proactively, dealing with areas where flooding has already happened and where there are flood risks. Expansion of the emergency business flooding scheme should be examined to ensure quicker, fairer compensation for affected business. Long-term investment must also be proposed in sustainable flood prevention. Insurance is also an issue. Insurance companies are making record profits. A lot of work is done by insurance companies but they are making massive profits. Shareholders are paid large amounts of money by these insurance companies yet at the same time small business and voluntary groups struggle to find affordable insurance as they continue to be hit with rip-off prices.

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