Denis O'Donovan (Fianna Fail)

I will not take up too much time. The motion submitted on Tuesday of last week has been overtaken by the visit of the Minister of State, Deputy Mansergh, to Cork, west Cork in particular. I thank him sincerely for his visit to the flooded areas of Skibbereen which was flooded three times in a seven week period and almost for a fourth time, Bandon which was severely flooded on 19 November, Clonakilty and Kinsale. In this regard, I am very pleased to accept his commitment given at the meeting held in Skibbereen last Friday. Had I been alerted to the matter this morning, I might have been able to withdraw the motion. However, I urge him in so far as he can to honour the commitment given in Skibbereen. The council and the local authority are making a new application for funding under the small projects relief scheme for this year. It is urgent that something is done.

The Minister of State brought very good news regarding the situation in Bandon and announced the allocation of considerable funding for the town. However, in respect of Skibbereen, I urge him, through the offices of the Office of Public Works, to propel the local authority to act on a major relief programme. That will provide the answer to all of the flooding problems that might arise in a lifetime. There were three or four initial projects outlined by the flood committee in Skibbereen and supported, by and large, by the engineers and management team. Some of this work will alleviate the problems that occurred in Skibbereen, probably one of the towns worst hit in Cork in recent weeks. Work on the major relief and flood management facility for Skibbereen should be advanced expeditiously.

I appreciate the work the Minister of State has done to date. As with the National Archives, there have been up to 20 reports during my lifetime, or at least during the past 35 years, on various ways to solve the problem in Skibbereen. A flood plan was agreed some six or seven years ago. It should be scrutinised and re-examined and if it is to form the basis of a long-term solution, it should be adopted. We should seek to secure funding next year for a major flood relief operation in Skibbereen.

I thank the Minister of State sincerely for his visit. That he walked through Skibbereen and Bandon and met members of the public and those affected was significant. Both private and commercial properties were affected and the Minister of State met the relevant engineers and management personnel. He has given a psychological boost and provided assurance that those in west Cork are not being forgotten. I realise people living in other parts of the country suffered also. That said, I hope what the Minister of State has done will allow elderly people who suffered severe personal degradation to sleep somewhat more easily in their beds. I know it will not resolve the issue but the visit by the Minister of State was timely and very important. When I proposed this matter last Tuesday for the Adjournment debate, I was unaware of his impending visit. By visiting, he has done a considerable service to his Department and to the people of west Cork whom I represent. I am reassured by the contribution he has made and the assurances he has given the people. I speak now more to thank him. I ask him to honour his commitment to the people he met, as I know he will, particularly those in Bandon and Skibbereen. I do not intend anything derogatory to the people of Clonakilty and Kinsale but they were affected to a much lesser degree by the severe flooding of the past two months.