Michael Mullins (Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

I join Senator Bacik in welcoming the fact that peace talks on the Syrian conflict are starting today in Switzerland. I hope all parties to this appalling conflict engage in an meaningful way to bring an end to the appalling atrocities, loss of life and starvation among the ordinary citizens of Syria, which we see on a daily basis. It is time this conflict was brought to an end. I hope the regime and all other parties to the conflict will engage in a meaningful way.

As somebody who comes from a county that has been severely impacted by the floods over the past number of weeks, I welcome the fact that two Ministers yesterday announced some additional funding. The Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport announced that €106 million in additional funding would be provided to local authorities for road repairs needed as a result of the flooding. As we all know, very severe damage was caused to the road network with subsistence of roads and damage to bridges and culverts. This resulted in appalling disruption to the lives of many people. I am glad that an immediate roads programme will be put in place to deal with this matter and that the Department of Transport, Tourism and Sport will take the lead in progressing this plan as a matter of urgency. I certainly hope that a good share of that money will come to County Galway.

I also welcome the fact the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine announced that additional emergency flood relief measures are being put in place for farmers worst affected by the floods. These measures will provide financial assistance to cover the uninsured direct costs arising where livestock were lost in the floods. Assistance will also be provided to cover the rental costs incurred where livestock had to be moved off farms and into alternative premises due to the potential welfare issues. The effects of the floods were particularly acute on a small number of farms and damage was done to structures and fittings. In some of those cases, quite significant costs were incurred in repairing that damage and those farmers may be eligible for support. Those two measures will help improve the lives of the people in the areas that have been badly flooded. I hope that in the long term, we see the significant investment that will be made in flood defence measures with some of those measures being put in place as a matter of urgency. I am thinking in particular of Ballinasloe. I look forward to seeing further investment there in the near future.