Sean Barrett (Independent) | Oireachtas source

Thank you.

The Minister of State will be aware that the Chairman of the Committee of Public Accounts has been critical of the cost overruns in respect of drainage in Kilkenny. Have lessons been learned in this regard? I think Deputy McGuinness's ambition to be Chairman of the Committee of Public Accounts came about as a result of this project, which he believed was too expensive.

There is a need to report on the flooding in Cork city in November 2009. Nobody appears to be willing to take responsibility for it. Questions arising include whether the ESB needed a bigger dam and whether Cork City Council was advised of this. That particular flood caused a great deal of damage to Cork city, and it has been difficult to get the insurance companies to pay up or re-insure.

I thank people for their patience as I had to relocate. This is an important topic. As regards the issue of climate change, I am a sceptic, and the numbers confirm that. Have planning decisions been made which have resulted in people being in danger from flooding? I look forward to hearing about the 250 hot spots and the measures to deal with them.