Larry Butler (Fianna Fail)

I sympathise with all those throughout the country who have had their homes flooded. I come from a town, Graiguenamanagh, that floods on a regular basis. We are well used to flood waters, as the town floods virtually every year.

My house is beside the canal, 20 yards from the water. Some years ago we decided to take action and construct defences. We decided during the renovation work to construct all solid floors inside, take out all of the vents underneath the floors, put in new DPC and have flood barriers on the doors. This option is available to most people whose property is flooded on a regular basis. Where there is regular flooding, there should be a grants system under which houses can be adapted to protect against flooding. This would be invaluable. We all can speak about building on flood plains, but there are many houses not built on flood plains which are being flooded. We are dealing with a new phenomenon. More rain falls now in one hour than used to fall in a week. I agree that we are not taking a long-term view and that we should plan ahead. Many drains are not being cleared on a regular basis, which causes flooding.

It is not true to state there is nothing we can do. We are our own managers when it comes to defending ourselves against flooding. The quay in Graiguenamanagh was raised successfully three or four years ago. As a result, unless there are extremely high floods, the water will not come over the quay. We should look at raising quay heights in certain areas, which would not cost vast sums of money. We should ensure such an investment is made. We should invest to ensure houses are designed to withstand water. Flood barriers fitted on doors will keep water out of most houses with solid floors.

We should look at the possibility of not using timber floors in houses. They are not necessary. One can have a solid floor with a membrane. All bathrooms could be fitted with bucon traps which allow water out but not in. That is another way a house with a bathroom on the ground floor is flooded - water rises high outside and then runs back up pipes. A bucon trap could be fitted to prevent flooding in bathrooms and stop water from coming into houses. That is vitally important. I ask the Minister to look at the possibility of providing grants towards adapting houses to prevent flooding.