Frances Black (Independent) | Oireachtas source

Like many others I am glad to be back in Leinster House after the snow last week. I would like to take this opportunity to commend the Taoiseach and his team on how Storm Emma was handled last week. It is hard to get every single detail right in these emergency situations but, credit where credit is due, it was handled very well. As many have said, enormous credit must also go to the front-line workers who kept vital services going when conditions were at their worst. It was really inspiring to see doctors and nurses braving the snow to make it into hospitals and to see bus drivers getting people home safely. There was a great sense of community in certain areas. In my own area my neighbours came out and dug my car out at certain points. One does not get to see one's neighbours that often but there was a nice sense of camaraderie. I hope we remember this dedication and community support when people raise their concerns about resources and pay.

One thing that does need to be improved however is communication from Irish Water. We saw increased usage during the storm but it was very late in the day that Irish Water announced supply restrictions from 7 p.m. to 7 a.m. The notice was incredibly short and communication was not so widespread. Many people were therefore not expecting to wake up this morning with no water. It would be good if the Minister could ensure that Irish Water keeps restrictions as low as possible, that the deadline is stuck to, and that Irish Water communicates better in cases such as this.

Finally, I was a little disappointed that last week's closures meant that the debate on councillors' conditions was postponed. I have been speaking to many councillors, from every corner of the country, in preparation and I want to make sure that their concerns are heard. For when will the debate be rescheduled? It would be great to have an understanding of what is going on.