Pádraig Mac Lochlainn (Sinn Fein) | Oireachtas source

If she is able to do so then Oireachtas Members should have the same right.

The Cathaoirleach will know that every week I have raised the issues of remaining community amenities, sporting amenities and farming sectors that have not been properly supported following the serious floods that occurred in the Inishowen Peninsula two months ago. The Cockhill Celtic Football Club, which is a very senior football and community organisation in my part of the world, was devastated by the floods. Two of its pitches were destroyed along with all kinds of amenities and the damage to the tune of hundreds of thousands of euro was done. Even though the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport and the Chief Whip were on the pitch within a few days, two months later the club has no idea if it will get any money or financial assistance from the Government. It is completely unacceptable that a senior sporting organisation, that fields eight different teams and facilitates 300 young people in my community, has been devastated by the floods and left with no financial support from the Government and has received no clarification after two months.

Swan Park in Buncrana is a vital amenity that was at the heart of my community. It has been destroyed. Again, there has been no clarification issued by the Government about whether funding will be provided. The same applies to Glenevin Waterfall. Potato and crop growers have had their lives destroyed and suffered financial losses amounting to hundreds of thousands of euro. Again, the Government has not clarified what will happen. We had a debate here last week but I heard no specific clarification regarding County Donegal even though I thought we were going to get one. There was supposed to be an announcement made yesterday but, again, there has been no clarification about these issues.

I wish to make it clear that I will continue to raise this issue until the communities that have been devastated in my area get the support that they need, be it the community or sporting amenities. Such a situation would not be allowed to happen anywhere else in this State. Now that the cameras have gone the people have been left behind. There is no way a major sporting or community amenity in one town that has been destroyed should be left without a clarification, two months on, about where funding will come from.

The Leader made promises the last time I raised this issue two weeks ago. I ask the Deputy Leader to arrange for a specific Minister to respond to me and tell me what will happen in terms of Cockhill Celtic Football Club, Swan Park and Glenevin Waterfall. Please can I have a specific response to these issues.