Martin Conway (Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

I also ask the Leader to facilitate a debate, either today or tomorrow, with the Minister of State, Deputy Simon Harris, on the flooding issue. It has finally come to people's realisation that we have a serious problem with flooding, be it coastal flooding or rivers bursting their banks. I wrote about this extensively after the flooding that took place in 2014 along the coast of County Clare and all along the west coast. Up until a few years ago, approximately €30 million to €40 million per year was being spent on flood defences. While, thankfully, this figure has increased, it is now necessary to engage with the European Union to have an aggressive flood defences mechanism and programme under which the investment of hundreds of millions of euro is envisaged. The same approach must be taken to flood defences in Ireland as was taken to building motorways during the era of the Celtic tiger. Ireland has a fantastic road network because billions of euro was invested, rightly, to ensure its provision. It is now necessary to spend billions of euro on flood defences. We are an island nation surrounded by water and people live in coastal communities nationwide. The homes of people in Clonlara, County Clare and other counties are being flooded and the people affected will be in a worse position in a few hours time. Members must up the ante and there must be a realisation of the necessity to spend billions of euro on flood defences. Moreover, such a programme must be put in place urgently. While the State does not have the money to do this, we are a member of the European Union. As an island nation at the extremity of Europe, we have as many rights as citizens of Germany, France, Italy and every other member state. We must exercise these rights and apply for billions of euro in EU capital funding to ensure our citizens will not, from one month to the next, be fearful of inclement weather.