Michael Mullins (Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

I wish to put on the record our support for the many families who are in very difficult situations having been impacted by the appalling floods over the Christmas period. Many families continue to suffer in parts of the country, including in parts of County Galway. The emergency services, particularly the local authorities, the Red Cross, the Army and the Garda did amazing work in helping communities. They went above and beyond the call of duty and they were stretched, physically and mentally, as were many of the householders and landowners who were experiencing very difficult times.

As the waters subside our attention must turn to putting solutions in place that will reduce the risk of flooding in the future. Senator Darragh O'Brien referred to the catchment flood risk assessment and management, CFRAM, study. I have a much more positive story to relate with respect to the CFRAM study, the OPW and Galway County Council. We had a fine gathering in Ballinasloe on Monday. It was the second such meeting to have taken place, the first one having been held in February, where five different options were rolled out for comment by the local communities. Up to 100 people from Ballinasloe and the surrounding areas attended that meeting and they will come back in May or June with the preferred options for solving the problem in the Ballinasloe area.

With respect to the €430 million that the Government has allocated for the next six years, it is imperative that the deadlines for completing the CFRAM studies are met with respect to prioritising projects and that the investment in the worst impacted areas takes place as quickly as possible.

The small schemes projects is a fine programme organised through the council councils. It is important that adequate funding is made available to ensure those schemes proceed quickly. I very much welcome that €18 million has been provided to local authorities for a big clean-up, but much damage has been done to roads throughout rural Ireland.It is important that county councils quantify the damage as quickly as possible and inform the Department and that the Government then make funding available to repair roads as quickly as possible in order that a semblance of normality can be restored to rural Ireland.