Mary White (Fianna Fail) | Oireachtas source

Yes. When will the works take place? A man died as a result of the situation. His house flooded and he took his own life about three years ago as a result. I saw the house which had been totally destroyed. The situation and the landmass is very vulnerable there.

It is also appropriate to mention the recent flooding on Friday, 14 November in Nutgrove Avenue. The flooding happened on the Thursday night. I was there myself mid-morning. I had never before seen flooding like that in Dublin. Having started a small business which is now a medium sized business, I know that every day in business there are challenges to be conquered. The flooding caused devastation to seven or eight small businesses in Ely House on Nutgrove Avenue. There are people working there who maintain cars, gear boxes and so forth. The machinery is very expensive and the place was completely flooded.

Having jumped the hurdles of business myself, I felt the pain they were suffering. It is hard enough for these people. They are self-employed. The Government wants them to keep going. Enough precautions were not taken on the Little Dargle River. It is a stream but it is called the Little Dargle River. It is a beautiful stream with crystal clear waters in Loreto Park. Mr. Robbie Campbell and Mr. Peter Phelan are still devastated about what happened to them. At the moment, Dún Laoghaire-Rathdown County Council are being very supportive and co-operative. It had workmen on the ground that morning.

They have been very co-operative with me in working on their behalf and will be putting in claims for compensation. A young man was fixing pianos in one of the buildings and my heart went out to him when he had to carry some out through the flooding. A lady who had set up a gym just a few months before had to take up wooden floor tiles. I empathise with them because I know how hard it is to do business in normal times and natural crises such as flooding make it so much more difficult.

Ms Philomena Poole is the brilliant CEO of Dún Laoghaire-Rathdown County Council and one of the few female county managers in the country. I am hoping that council will put its heart and soul into helping to obtain compensation. It also forms part of the remit of South Dublin County Council. Two families at the lower end of Nutgrove Avenue are in the South Dublin County Council area. Their houses were flooded when water got in through vents at the perimeter. They were traumatised as a result.

Every precaution should be taken in advance of flooding. The Little Dargle River is able to make its way through Nutgrove Park and the culvert without being stopped by debris.

I appreciate the Minister of State's attention. I also thank the Acting Chairman.