Diarmuid Wilson (Fianna Fail) | Oireachtas source

I would like to join other Senators in thanking the Leader for arranging a debate on the flooding crisis. Like my colleague, Senator Mooney, I was amazed to read the OPW report, as published in today's Irish Independent, which suggests that 300 towns and villages are at risk of flooding. Two of the towns in question, Ballyconnell and Cavan, are in my own county. It is a very real risk. I hope the Leader can bring the Minister of State, Deputy Brian Hayes, to the House as soon as possible so that we can find out more about the Government's plans for the current flooding crisis and the potential future flooding to which I have referred.

I ask the Leader to invite the Minister, Deputy Rabbitte, to the House to discuss the issue of mobile phone coverage, which I raised here a number of weeks ago. This problem has increased dramatically since the G8 summit in Enniskillen last year. It seems to have spread throughout the country as well. My phone coverage cut out 11 times this morning as I travelled along the M3 on my way to Dublin.