James Bannon (Longford-Westmeath, Fine Gael)
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I thank the Ceann Comhairle for affording me time to discuss this important issue, namely, the need for the Minister for the Environment, Heritage and Local Government to establish a River Shannon authority on a statutory basis to take overall control of river management and development in the Shannon catchment and navigation areas, with its prime function being flood protection and alleviation and land drainage.

As householders, farmers and business owners in counties adjoining the Shannon face immeasurable hardship due to unprecedented flooding, the long overdue River Shannon authority which was promised by Fianna Fáil Ministers, particularly one in my own area and another in the midlands area, must be put in place as soon as possible. A River Shannon authority would provide for the overall control of river management and development in the Shannon catchment and Shannon navigation areas from the source of the river to the Shannon Estuary in Limerick.

At present a large number of separate statutory bodies exercise authority over various aspects of river management and a considerable number of private organisations have a direct interest in and beneficial use of the Shannon. These include 11 local authorities in Fermanagh in Northern Ireland, Longford, Westmeath, Cavan, Leitrim, Roscommon, Offaly, Galway, Tipperary, Limerick and Clare, plus other statutory bodies such as the ESB, OPW, Bord na Mona, IDA Ireland, CIE, the fisheries boards, various drainage boards and committees under the auspices of local authorities, Tourism Ireland, at least three regional tourism organisations, a number of environment and enterprise SPCs, the Departments of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food, Enterprise, Trade and Employment, the Environment, Heritage and Local Government, Communications, Energy and Natural Resources, and Transport, and the Shannon Foynes Port Company etc.

Voluntary bodies involved with the River Shannon include the IFA, Inland Waterways Association of Ireland, local fishing clubs, local boating clubs, local yachting clubs, sailing clubs, canoe clubs, commercial boat hire companies, Irish Water Safety, Irish Wildbird Conservancy, Irish Wildlife Trust, bird-watching clubs, ICMSA and National Farmers Union in Northern Ireland. I could go on until morning naming organisations with an involvement in the River Shannon.

There is no structure to ensure the co-ordination of the activities of these bodies. A River Shannon authority would provide such a structure and deal once and for all with the causes and extent of flooding in the Shannon catchment area; the impact of flooding on different sections of society, including farmers, householders, businesses, etc.; and powers to respond to different categories of flooding. A River Shannon authority would be responsible for the regulatory and river management functions of the water authorities - local authorities and the national rural water monitoring committee - including pollution control and quality regulation of the river with powers to prosecute offenders.

Such an authority would have control of putting in place a flood alert system as part of a national system to increase awareness of potential river flooding. It would be responsible for controlling flooding, maintenance works, improving farming and forest practices, and public health. This authority would be endowed with sufficient powers to instigate measures to deal with pollution and enforce them. The ineffectiveness of duplicated and overlapping structures could be remedied by the establishment of a single River Shannon authority. This proposal makes good business sense in terms of efficiency and cost. A unified authority would carry more weight than the many existing separate authorities in ensuring that necessary legislative measures for the River Shannon management and development are enacted and also for attracting EU funds.

Apart from the urgent need to establish a River Shannon authority, the Department of the Environment, Heritage and Local Government has shamefully refused to draw up planning regulations to prevent the building of houses on flood plains. What does the Minister do now? He blames bad planning. The Minister needs to get a grip on his portfolio. The double blow to those living in counties adjoining the Shannon, of economic downturn and the repercussions of flood damage, are almost too much to bear. I have met many of those people. They are too sad and depressed to even be angry at this stage. I spent all of Saturday and Sunday throughout the areas of south County Longford that adjoin the Shannon.

James Bannon (Longford-Westmeath, Fine Gael)
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From 11 a.m. until 4 p.m. on Sunday, I was in the Athlone catchment visiting the people who were in desperation.

James Bannon (Longford-Westmeath, Fine Gael)
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The very least that can be offered to the people living along the course of the River Shannon is that the long-promised River Shannon authority will become a reality. I thank people like John Dolan, Councillor Colm Arthur and others who accompanied me throughout my travels last Saturday and Sunday.

James Bannon (Longford-Westmeath, Fine Gael)
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They are great people and did their best for those affected. Many farmers had moved their animals to higher land in other parts of the county. I compliment and congratulate the people who did so much for many people who were unfortunately flooded by the Shannon.

Conor Lenihan (Dublin South West, Fianna Fail)
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In recent days we have seen the devastating effects of flooding on homes, businesses, and people's livelihoods in many parts of the country including locations across the River Shannon catchment area. The entire river basin area has been affected from Leitrim and Roscommon down to Clare and Limerick. Record water levels were recorded in Loughs Derg, Ree and Allen. Our thoughts are with all those who have suffered the effects of flooding in recent days.

In responding to the flooding, the local authorities have been following the procedures set out in the framework for major emergency management. This framework enabled the three principal response agencies - the Garda Síochána, the Health Service Executive and local authorities, together with the Defence Forces and other voluntary agencies to co-ordinate their response to the flooding. Reports from the areas experiencing major flooding show that the interagency response has worked in a satisfactory manner.

Future improvements to co-ordinated flood risk management in Ireland will be in accordance with the EU floods directive, which requires the assessment of flood risks and the preparation of flood risk management plans on a river basin basis. The report of Ireland's flood policy review group, approved by Government in 2004, set out a policy on the management of flood risks which is in line with the requirements of the floods directive. The report recommended that the OPW should have responsibility for flood risk management. An interdepartmental co-ordination group has been established to assist in co-ordinating the implementation of the recommendations of the flood policy review group, and the Department of the Environment, Heritage and Local Government is represented on this group.

The OPW will transpose the floods directive into Irish law before the end of the year. It is envisaged that the OPW will be the competent authority for the directive. The OPW has already begun the process of procuring a flood risk assessment and management study for the River Shannon catchment area, and the study is expected to be commissioned by mid 2010. All of the main stakeholders will be consulted including the ESB and relevant local authorities.

The Department of the Environment, Heritage and Local Government has lead responsibility for implementation of the EU water framework directive which provides for the protection of our waters. Local authorities are in the process of finalising river basin management plans. These plans will detail current water quality, set objectives for maintaining and improving water quality, and set out the measures necessary to achieve these improvements. The plans are being prepared jointly by the local authorities in each river basin district with funding provided by the Department. Limerick County Council is the co-ordinating authority for the Shannon river basin district.

The Department has also worked closely with the OPW to develop comprehensive guidelines to enable local authority planners to contribute substantially to the management of flooding-related issues. The guidelines, published by the Minister, Deputy Gormley with the Minister of State, Deputy Mansergh, last Monday are aimed at ensuring a more consistent, rigorous and systematic approach to incorporate fully flood risk assessment and management into future regional plans, county and city development plans, local area plans and in determining future applications for planning permissions in line with the principles of proper planning and sustainable development.

The Department and the OPW will work closely to co-ordinate future revisions of river basin management plans and flood risk management plans. These plans will provide a comprehensive and integrated response to the issues raised by the Deputy.