Michael Ring (Mayo, Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

I take the Senator's point. There is a similar situation in a part of Mayo where the National Parks and Wildlife Service is involved. We had to go through it with the National Parks and Wildlife Service to see what could be done. I take the case that both Senators raised in respect of the woman with her special needs child. I understand the situation for the 17 families. There was a similar situation in Leenaun when the bridge was swept away by floods. We had to do remedial works and deal with it. We had to try to put a temporary bridge in place so that people were not inconvenienced.

Tomorrow I will ask my officials immediately to contact Galway County Council to get a report to enable me to see what the problem is. I will not give a guarantee tonight that if emergency legislation is required it will be done between now and Christmas but I hope something temporary can be done to stop these families having to go to the lengths the Senators mention, if possible. I will ask my officials to do that tomorrow.