Gabrielle McFadden (Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

The Office of Public Works, OPW, and the ESB are monitoring the water levels in the River Shannon after a sharp rise in the past week. The ESB has increased the level of water discharged through Parteen Weir and Ardnacrusha since yesterday. The levels south of Athlone have risen in the past week by about 28 cm. which is approximately 17 cm. off the level in 2015 when the council issued a flooding alert.At the time people criticised the timescale for the council coming out and for when it called in the Army to help. There may not be an imminent threat of flooding but the fear is that a lot of rainfall is expected in the coming days and anybody who lives near the Shannon or a river that has flooded say the fear of flooding is nearly as bad as the actual flooding. I ask the Leader to call on the Minister to either come to the House or to make sure that the councils in the various areas are ready for the imminent possibility of flooding and that the Army is ready to be called on. We must be assured that local authorities will call in the Army early rather than wait for a disaster to occur. The Army is always more than willing and capable of helping out but it needs to be asked. I would appreciate if the matter could be raised with the relevant Ministers.