Michael Mullins (Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

I welcome the Minister of State and thank him for a comprehensive statement. He is active on the ground in ensuring our concerns are being addressed. I come from Ballinasloe, which was badly flooded in 2009, so I have a keen interest in investments in the past and in the future to ensure we do not have a repeat of the awful trauma suffered by so many households and businesses in 2009. I share in the words of thanks and acknowledgement to the local authorities, the civil defence, the Army and all the people who come to the rescue of communities in times of crisis. We do not appreciate their worth until we have to call them in times of emergency.

I acknowledge the significant spending in Ballinasloe. The Minister of State was in the town last year when the defence wall was officially commissioned. Significant work has been done on a number of bridges around Ballinasloe. I acknowledge the efforts of the Minister of State and his predecessor. We had a good rapport with him during a difficult time for the people of Ballinasloe. There is grave concern.

The Minister of State met the people from the Shannon callows area and the IFA. I refer to the real conflict there as to what is the cause of the problems and flooding which takes place in the Shannon callows area and, I suppose, in Ballinasloe. I also refer to the River Shannon, its contribution to the flooding and the investment which might be needed to ensure areas like the Shannon callows do not have the difficulties they had this summer when farming was impossible and people lost their livelihood, or a significant portion of it. Will the Minister of State comment on whether any progress has been made in resolving the issue and difficulties which appear to be there in terms of the interpretation of the problem and eventually coming to a conclusion? The IFA holds a very strong view on the problem and previous speakers spoke about the ESB and the control of Ardnacrusha. Perhaps the Minister of State will comment on that a little.

Some of the minor works, which have been done around east Galway and the county itself, have been very significant and have made a tremendous difference. I hope they will prevent serious flooding in many of those areas.

I am concerned that the ongoing maintenance required on many of those rivers is not happening. The River Suck drainage board is the most toothless outfit ever invented. It can only carry out works which can be done with a shovel and a spade. In this day and age, when we have so much equipment and machinery, it seems ludicrous. That issue needs to be addressed. Some of the flooding could probably be prevented in some areas if there was ongoing and regular maintenance.

Will the Minister of State comment on any progress made in regard to the Dunkellin river and that whole south Galway flooding issue? Draining the Dunkellin river has been included on every politician's electoral promise list since the 1940s. Some wag said some years ago that if they had started draining it with a spoon at that time, it would have been done by now. Obviously, flooding of the Dunkellin river catchment area is causing significant hardship for the farming community in that area.

The insurance issue is certainly one for some people in Ballinasloe. I have an address which happens to be the same as one a mile away where there was some flooding in 2009. If I am flooded, the end of the world will have arrived because I live on a hill and have no chance of being flooded. However, I discovered that I am probably paying well over the odds for my insurance as a result of having an address in a particular area in Ballinalsoe. The insurance companies are probably milking the situation and are being unfair to customers.

Probably only a handful of people cannot get some insurance cover but there should be something along the lines of what Senator O'Donovan suggested whereby people who cannot get insurance could be covered in some way, whether centrally or by some Government agency. It is obviously very stressful and distressing when there is a lot of rain, one has no insurance and there is a possibility one might encounter flooding again. That issue needs to be examined.

The Minister of State is doing a fine job. He is faring well to be able to ring-fence the money in the difficult times we are in. However, because flooding appears to be a much more frequent problem in some parts of the country, it is important the Government and politicians ensure the Minister of State's Department is adequately funded to ensure communities are protected and the defences required are put in place.