Fergus O'Dowd (Louth, Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

I will bring the views expressed by the Senator to the attention of the Minister. I want to say clearly that all county councils have procedures for asking questions and for the interrogation of officials in regard to any issue. What I would do, if it was in my county, is contact the county manager, get a meeting with the officials and get the facts on the table. If as the Senator alleges, Cork County Council is not being transparent or accountable, he should kick up a stink over that with Cork County Council. There is also the issue in regard to costs. If the council does not provide the Senator with the documents he seeks, it should do so because, under the Freedom of Information Act, it is obliged by statute to provide him with whatever it believes it can provide. The history of this matter is obviously of deep concern to the Senator and his constituents. He is entitled to get that information in whatever way he can, using the democratic mechanisms that are in place, including his position as a Senator, through his councillors and so on.

The ultimate question is what is happening now. A consultant has been appointed and it is anticipated that work will commence in the third quarter of this year, which will hopefully help to alleviate the situation in regard to the high winter floods that may arise later in the year.