Maurice Cummins (Fine Gael)

The first phase of the Clonmel flood relief scheme, which is in the Minister of State's constituency, will not be finished until next year. There are two other phases which have not even gone to tender. I spoke to Councillors Acheson and Murphy earlier today and they say those two phases have not gone out to tender. Will the Minister of State update the House on the current situation? I am sure he has that information.

The sum of €10 million is paltry and totally inadequate to help families in dire straits as a result of this disastrous flooding. Such inundation has not been seen for 40 or 50 years. The €10 million is being administered by the Department of Social and Family Affairs but the Irish Red Cross should also be involved. It administered grants for people affected by flooding some years ago. Will local authorities be given the money to repair roads and bridges which have been damaged by these floods? They cannot continue with the reduced road grants they got last year. If the same thing occurs this year, we will have potholes throughout the country as a result and local authorities will not have the resources to repair them. I ask the Minister of State to address those issues.