Louis O'Hara (Galway East, Sinn Fein)

As the Minister of State knows, the ongoing flooding on the Shannon Callows is causing huge issues for farmers and landowners. It is a problem that is getting worse and worse each year as time goes by. It is having a severe impact on the livelihoods of the people affected. There are hundreds of families affected by this and it has caused devastation. For example, in 2023, farmers lost everything as land was flooded through the summer. In recent weeks, there has been severe flooding again, impacting on land and livestock. People in the local area feel that this problem is now almost out of control. They are frustrated as they do not believe strong enough efforts have been taken to tackle this situation. In particular, there has been a lack of investment between Meelick and Athlone to take out the pinch points and a lack of ongoing river maintenance to get the situation under control. A reduction in the water levels of the lakes along the Shannon, such as Lough Allen, Lough Derg and Lough Ree, should be looked at, especially at times when we can expect a lot of rain. Will the Minister of State outline any specific plans in this regard?

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