Michael McCarthy (Labour)

I welcome the Minister of State, Deputy Haughey. I record my appreciation of the agreement of Senator Brendan Ryan, whose Private Members' Bill was due to be debated this evening, to a discussion on this urgent matter. I am aware issues arose in the other House in terms of the length of debate on this issue. However, I am delighted this House - it is most important I say this - has been able to put aside party politics and unite behind the people affected by this severe and disastrous flooding. I am glad the Government acceded to our proposal to take this business this evening. It is the least we can do for the victims of the flooding.

Information was made available to me last week by way of a parliamentary question raised in the Lower House by a colleague. This information deals with local authority resources and the number of jobs lost on local councils throughout the country and also contains figures as they pertain to Cork County Council. Senator O'Donovan will be aware that in excess of 500 jobs on Cork County Council have been lost during the past year. These relate to contracts not renewed, outdoor local authority staff and area engineers who have not been replaced owing to the ban on recruitment in the public service, which is having a telling effect in this particular area. I believe this ban on recruitment is impacting in terms of the stretching of resources over a smaller workforce and its ability to respond to the crisis that was last week's flooding. Unfortunately, it continues in other parts of the island tonight.

I pay tribute to those involved in the fall-out from this crisis. Areas such as Skibbereen, Clonakilty and, in particular, Bandon have been badly affected by the flooding. On Saturday afternoon last, I along with the Mayor of Bandon, Councillor Gearóid Buckley, visited what is left of some of the businesses in south Main Street. While I am normally well composed, my heart bled for those who have lost their entire business, many of whom will not, unfortunately, be in a position to recover from this crisis. These people were barely surviving the economic circumstances of the past 12 to 18 months. What was keeping them going was the prospect of business over the Christmas period. One particular business has been completely wiped out. The owner was in tears because all of the Christmas stock had been destroyed and he had no guarantee of insurance cover. I witnessed skips being filled by the drivers of lorries and tractors, members of the Garda Síochána, local authority staff and volunteers. One former business is now being used to distribute soup, tea and sandwiches to the many volunteers involved.

I agree with Senator O'Donovan that it is miraculous nobody was badly or fatally injured as a result of this disaster. We must be thankful for this. While I do not wish to take from all that has been done, I honestly believe there is almost a disconnect in terms of the coverage of this crisis. To witness at first hand what has happened and to listen to people's stories is eerie. It had a profound impact on me in terms of how we can respond. The Garda divisional headquarters for west Cork was completely flooded. There were many patrol, unmarked and civilian cars floating around its yard while concentration inside was on moving files and equipment upstairs. The bursting of the river banks had untold disastrous consequences for many organs of different function in the town of Bandon. Towns and streets in Skibbereen have been destroyed and people are prisoners in their own homes. Many homes and businesses have been flooded by in excess of 7 ft of water.

We must consider how we are to deal with this issue. While climate change will inevitably impact on this, the degree to which we cannot determine, we can be sure this type of flooding will be more frequent in the future. It is imperative we carry out flood relief works in areas known to be blackspots for flooding. There is also the issue of warnings and the role the ESB played in this by the release of water from the Inniscarra dam. I accept there are other issues and I am not judging anybody, but the ESB played a huge role in that regard. All the western part of Cork city is still submerged in water. Drinking water is not available to thousands of homes in Cork city and county. It is unbelievable.

I am convinced this is our equivalent of 11 September 2001. The measure of the political response will not be reflected in the relief aid that is made available. I have an issue with the €10 million. It is a little like the response at Christmas 2004 when the tsunami hit Asia with such devastating consequences. Our initial response was something equally paltry. I do not say that disparagingly as it was amended by the Government when the sheer scale of what happened became obvious. I do not believe €10 million is enough. It would not go far in the two areas I mentioned, Bandon and Skibbereen. We debated overseas development aid in this House last Wednesday evening. Ireland has a commendable scheme, although it has been reduced due to budgetary difficulties. However, it is €750 million per annum. We have our own clear and urgent need for as much funding in this country.

There will be issues relating to the role of the HSE, the Garda Síochána, the local authority and the Army. The Irish Red Cross is expert at dealing with the fall-out from disasters such as this. We should examine the role the Irish Red Cross can play in responding to such events in future. There is also the huge issue of how the insurance companies will respond to the claims that will inevitably be made. Some businesses have been told by assessors not to go near them. Where does that leave these people? We must ensure there is an adequate compensatory scheme for them. Lives have been destroyed. I was lucky last Thursday to be able to return to Dunmanway. I travelled to Cork and had to meander around various towns to get back. It took longer than usual but I was one of the lucky ones. There were cars submerged in water and abandoned along the R586.

I welcome the fact we are debating this important issue. However, there must be a continuous debate about our response. People's lives have been ruined. There must be a co-ordinated, strategic response in terms of flood warning systems and flood relief works. Has the scheme whereby the €10 million will be administered through community welfare offices been properly thought out? Community welfare officers are under huge pressure due to the economic circumstances in the past year. The officers in my area in west Cork were involved in a type of protest from July to the end of October this year. They were not accepting any extra applications for mortgage subsidy or community welfare. The Government has now dumped more work on these people. Is that the wisest course to take? Can we have a commitment that there will be a bigger, strategic and co-ordinated response so we can help ease the suffering on our doorstep?