Eugene Murphy (Fianna Fail) | Oireachtas source

I move: "That the Bill be now read a Second Time."

I welcome the Minister of State, Deputy Ossian Smyth, to the House. I know he will have a keen interest in the issue under discussion. I thank Government colleagues and all Members for being here to discuss a really important issue that has been a scourge on many people living along the river basin from where the River Shannon rises in the Cuilcagh Mountains in County Cavan to where it flows out to the Shannon Estuary in Limerick. This Bill seeks to remove specific water levels from legislation and to allow the ESB to set levels in conjunction with all relevant bodies, including Waterways Ireland, Inland Fisheries Ireland and the local authorities. There are many NGOs, farming groups and conservation groups who, going forward, should be part of a forum that would have one policy with regard to control of water levels on the River Shannon.

The Electricity Supply (Amendment) Bill 2021 is an amendment to the Electricity (Supply) (Amendment) (No. 2) Act 1934, which gave responsibility for water levels on the River Shannon to the ESB. This was related to Ardnacrusha and hydroelectric power, which was very important for the country. It is rather amazing that 86 or more years on, we are only now looking to amend the 1934 Act. The legislation needs to be updated. As I said, I hope that through this discussion we can work out a policy that is agreeable to everybody. In terms of climate action and the consequences of changed weather patterns, we need to act as a matter of urgency. People living along the River Shannon basin have put up with years of misery. I have lived along that basin for all of my lifetime. Almost every year as we approach spring all politicians are contacted about rising water levels. I am already getting telephone calls about this. I was told the other day that a lot of water is being in held in Lough Allen in County Leitrim. Business people in Carrick-on-Shannon fear they could be flooded if this water is let go. One of the problems is that the 1934 Act ties the hands of the ESB in terms of carrying out necessary works. I acknowledge that this work has to be done in an environmentally friendly way as well. That can be done.

I accept that this Bill is not a silver bullet. We all know that we cannot prevent some flooding along the River Shannon basin, but we could provide reassurance for people such that every year they do not have to contact politicians and the ESB on the issue of rising water levels. The pattern of rainfall now has dramatically changed. The level of rainfall that previously fell over two days can now fall within a couple of hours. As a consequence of that quick and dramatic rainfall, farmyards, houses, businesses and community facilities are being wrecked. We have seen this happen all along the River Shannon and in other parts of the country.

There is another issue that we need to address. This point is not made strongly enough. The amount of damage done to flora, fauna and wildlife by water that cannot take its course - flooded waters - is extraordinary. The amount of damage to wildlife in areas such as the Shannon Callows near Athlone because of unnecessary flooding is extraordinary. It has cost us dearly from an environmental perspective. We should recognise that. Like me, Senator Paul Daly has a very close relationship with everything that happens along the River Shannon. I recall the devastation of the floods in 2009 and 2015. People speak often about one-in-100-year events. The floods of 2009 and 2015 were just six years apart, which shows that we are definitely in different times. The devastation caused to the natural growth, plants, flora, fauna and wildlife was extraordinary. That element has suffered very badly as well. Going forward, we must ensure we reinstate and protect it. The Minister of State will be aware of the great plan for the Shannon Callows in relation to the curlew population and bringing it back to the area. Those types of plans are vital and important. It is heartening to hear farmers and local communities, who are custodians of much of this culture, saying that while much of the flora and fauna has been destroyed they want to work to have it reinstated. We also need to have our wildlife returned. One of the greatest indicators in terms of weather forecasting is how the birds operate. If the birds are building nests near the water the rainfall will not be great. If they are building inland that indicates a wet autumn, winter and spring. That has been proven. For previous generations, watching what the birds were doing was the only way they could forecast the weather. They did not have the modern paraphernalia to do that.

I again thank Senators and the Minister of State for being here. The purpose of this Bill is to move forward with legislation that will be sound and secure and will give a little bit of breathing space to the local communities and protect our environment as well. I am prepared to work with Departments, Ministers, agencies, the Opposition and so on to achieve this. If we can put this in place, it will benefit all of our people in that part of the country.