Catherine Ardagh (Fianna Fail) | Oireachtas source

Yesterday, the Tánaiste's presence in this House raised more questions than it answered, especially on the revelation that "the email" was found in the Department on 9 November, after Deputy Kelly raised a parliamentary question. It is curious and extraordinary that it was withheld from the Taoiseach until 16 November, one week later. Furthermore we still do not have the full contents of the email. We do not have a screenshot, that one would expect in this day and age. We cannot see if it was part of a thread, or if there were other recipients on the email. We cannot see whether it was a response to a previous email and if it was actually replied to.

The Taoiseach in the Dáil also criticised the management of the Department of Justice and Equality for its failings to provide complete information. This begs the question whether the Minister for Justice and Equality, Deputy Charles Flanagan was aware of this email, and why he did not tell the Taoiseach about it. Why did two Ministers in the Cabinet allow the Taoiseach to mislead the Dáil? The Taoiseach must be absolutely furious about this matter. We still do not know whether the former Minister for Justice and Equality, Deputy Frances Fitzgerald read the emails and understood the contents, the gravity and the seriousness of them and why she failed to act on them or even more why she failed to question the contents of these emails. Why did she continue, ever after May 2016, to express her full confidence in the then Garda Commissioner? Surely her confidence failed back in 2015.

There are many more questions arising from her presence in this Chamber and by yesterday's revelations. We need to see the Tánaiste return to this House to address some of the matters.

I wish to raise the flash flooding in Mountmellick. I commend the fire brigade, the Army and the local authority on their efforts last night to ensure there was no loss of life. I heard on the radio many of the residents commended their efforts. Will the Government ensure that the humanitarian access fund is put in place and that residents and businesses whose property was seriously damaged are allowed to access these funds in a smooth and easy manner so that they can get on with their lives and start rebuilding their life? Flash floods like this episode are becoming more frequent and more common and we need to put in place a proper flood prevention strategy to ensure that lives are not harmed in the future.