Seanad debates

Tuesday, 19 October 2021

Flood Risk Management: Motion

 

2:30 pm

Photo of Pippa HackettPippa Hackett (Green Party) | Oireachtas source

I welcome this motion from my Green Party colleagues and acknowledge the work Senator Garvey has put into it. Quite simply, water is life. When it stays where it should, in proper quantities and at a correct flow rate, it supports life, whether that is ecosystems in soils, on land and in our waterways.When flow rates of water exceed the capacity of the soil, river, stream or drain, flooding will occur. It is quite simple but we see it all the time, and we are going to see more of it.

At this stage I believe we can all accept that climate change is going to bring with it increased rainfall and an increase in the incidence of flooding. This will have a knock-on effect for all of society. This programme for Government commits to a land use review to ensure that optimal land use options inform all relevant government decisions, and mitigating flooding will be an important part of that. The review will balance environmental, social and economic conditions, and will include consideration of carbon sequestration, climate adaption challenges, and emissions to air and water. The review is being overseen by a steering committee co-chaired by the Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine, and the Department of the Environment, Climate and Communications. The steering committee has representatives from those two Departments, as well as the Environmental Protection Agency and the Department of Housing, Local Government and Heritage, and two independent nominees.

The land use review is being carried out in two phases. At present we have incomplete information on the things that we use our land for. Phase 1, which is already under way, will assess the characteristics of land types and land uses across Ireland. It is chaired by the EPA with technical advisers from across many Government Departments. Phase 2 will build upon the results of this review and will consider policies and measures in the context of the Government's wider economic, social and climate objectives. Better data means better policy, and knowing more about how we use land means that the Government can make better policy choices.

In relation to flooding, some lands are meant to flood and particularly during the winter months. We must also recognise the increased incidence of flooding during the summer months, and in particular the devastating consequences that this can have for farmers, businesses, homes and wildlife. One area that floods a lot is the Shannon Callows, a unique area I have visited on a couple of occasions, most recently with the Minister of State, Deputy O'Donovan. The Minister of State will recall that we shared a boat trip during the summer and while it was lovely it was not quite the romantic voyage it sounds. We were on a fact-finding mission with officials from Waterways Ireland and the Office of Public Works, OPW, for which the Minister of State is responsible. We travelled from Banagher in County Offaly to the Meelick weir, where we met representatives from the Irish Farmers Association and the Save Our Shannon group.

It was a valuable visit for both of us, during which it became clear to me that there are many different issues that need clarification as well as action. I realised that while everyone affected by multi-year summer flooding wants action on pinch points, there are different interpretations of what these actually are. Both interpretations need addressing. The first interpretation relates to pinch points along the riverbed, which if removed from the navigation channel will allow for the water level controlled for navigation to be lowered. I am aware that the Minister of State, Deputy O'Donovan, has committed to this work but I realise that it is a long-term project.

The second interpretation of pinch points refers to the build-up of silt and vegetation at various locations. Again, I understand that the management of this falls into the remit of the OPW maintenance programme. This is about balancing needs and it must be done fairly. Yes, the River Shannon is important for tourism but it also has a significant impact on farmers and on biodiversity, with the broods of many wading birds in this area under significant threat from the summer floods.

We need to get that balance right. A mix of nature-based solutions and some structural management is needed. This summer flooding is no longer once in 100 years, or even once in a generation. It is compounded by climate change and has a direct negative effect on livelihoods and biodiversity, and specifically in the area that concerns me most in west Offaly. I want to continue to work with farmers and environmentalists, and with the Minister of State, Deputy O'Donovan, with a focus on practical and effective solutions to this delicate and rapidly changing situation.

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