Darragh O'Brien (Fianna Fail) | Oireachtas source

Yes, but I noted that Senator John Gilroy had been in Limerick also. He has been around the country. However, that is irrelevant in this regard.

On special areas of conservation, there will be nothing left to conserve. We have seen one example where approximately 60 dwellings are at risk. New coastal erosion defences cannot be installed because the European Union has designated the areas as special areas of conservation, but if we do not do something, there will be nothing left to conserve. This is particularly prevalent on the east coast, where there is a sandy shoreline and people live close to it. That is not due to previous bad planning, but because these are historical communities. In the one visited by the Minister of State people have lived in the borough for hundreds of years and some of the families have been there for hundreds of years.

I asked a question about the original emergency funding. It appears to be only for the repair of the existing flood protections and infrastructure, not to install new ones. I realise the funding has been expanded since, but will the Minister of State clarify the position? I understand we are not applying to the European solidarity fund. As I said a couple of weeks ago, I did not think we would be after hearing the response given by the Minister of State, Deputy Joe Costello, on behalf of the Minister of State, Deputy Brian Hayes, when he came to the House on that occasion. I accept there are parameters in that regard.

The Minister of State should not forget about the east coast. Obviously, the west coast has been heavily affected and people have been put out of their homes because of flooding. However, will funding be made available for the area the Minister of State visited in north County Dublin in order that coastal protections can be installed? I also urge him - for what it is worth, he will get all the assistance he requires from us - to bring forward legislation to provide for a levy on the insurance industry to set up a general insurance bureau, which would be a fund on which we could build each year to defray some of the cost and expense to the taxpayer. I am not aware of a general insurance company that is broke. These are multinational companies and I believe we could levy a portion of each policy, by way of the premia charged, to be paid towards building up such a fund. I look forward to hearing the Minister of State's response to that suggestion.