Joe O'Toole (Independent)

Since the foundation of the State, the issue of Shannon flooding has been the plaything of different political parties. I recall that Éamon de Valera promised to drain the Shannon 70 or 80 years ago. I introduced a Bill in this House in 1998 with the support of Senators Madeleine Taylor-Quinn and Kathleen O'Meara that was rejected by the Fianna Fáil-led Government. It dealt with the entire issue of water management etc. In the previous year, the Bill had been introduced to the House and the Fine Gael-led Government had refused it. I nearly fell off my seat yesterday when I heard the Leader of the House mention the Doherty report. I have to hand the Doherty report and demand that Members discuss it next year. I thought that of all things, the Leader would not wish to have it discussed. This report deals with territory the Cathaoirleach and I know well, right up to the doorstep of the Cathaoirleach's own house. This report was published in 2000 by a sub-committee of the Oireachtas joint committee on enterprise and included proposals such as raising the storage level of Lough Ree and Lough Allen and to increase the channel capacity at Banagher to 255 cu. m per second. Had this been implemented, the Cathaoirleach might not have had the water on his doorstep this week. Other proposals included the removal of the Meelick weir, the diversion of the Suck, the raising of the sluice gates at Athlone and the road levels in Athlone, Clare and Galway, as well as to reduce river levels in October. I could go on and on.

This report dealt with all those issues. The Deputy Leader's then party leader, Deputy Sargent, also was on the sub-committee. I have tried to get the report discussed in this House and have raised it repeatedly. While I am partial to the River Shannon for reasons that will remain unstated, the solution exists. This is a national emergency but it has been so for many years. I refer to the floods of 1914, 1954, which damaged the Cathaoirleach's home town, and 1999. It is all there, including a proposal to the ESB that the water levels be reduced in Ardnacrusha and all those areas in mid-October every year prior to the floods. This report contains all this information, including accurate costs. I seek a debate on this issue because it is absolutely appalling and embarrassing for everyone.

Tá tuarascáil le bheith foilsithe inniu mar gheall ar an Ghaeltacht agus rudaí mar sin agus de réir dealramh tá sé mar moladh sa tuarascáil sin go dtógfar ó Údarás na Gaeltachta an cúram agus an fhreagracht do fostaíocht i nGaeltachtaí na tíre. Chomh maith le sin, tá moladh ann go n-aistreofar cúram cúrsaí teanga ón Aire Gnóthaí Pobail, Tuaithe agus Gaeltachta go dtí Údarás na Gaeltachta. This proposal is as daft as I have ever heard. It is to take away from Údarás na Gaeltachta its main role, which is to create jobs and develop industry in the Gaeltacht areas. This will be transferred from the Údarás to the IDA or some national group. At the same time, believe it or not, it is proposed to take from Aire Gnóthaí Pobail, Tuaithe agus Gaeltachta the entire responsibility for the development and protection of the language, which will be moved to Údarás na Gaeltachta. I cannot imagine anything more daft then those two proposals. Tá sé thar am go mbeadh díospóireacht anseo sa Teach ar an ábhar seo. Tá seo thar a bheith tábhachtach agus caithfimid tuiscint a bheith againn ar an scéal. Ba chóir don Aire teacht isteach chugainn agus an scéal a mhíniú dúinn.