Micheál Carrigy (Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

I welcome the Minister of State to the House and this Bill from Senator Murphy. As a neighbour across the Shannon, I see first-hand the devastation the Shannon has done in the past along areas of both the Shannon and Lough Ree. In particular I think of areas of Clondra, Killashee, Newtowncashel and Lanesborough within County Longford and Tarmonbarry in Roscommon. They have been severely affected by the Shannon. In my constituency in the recent past a significant number of houses in estates in Athlone were flooded, with severe damage done.

I was recently in Athlone with the Minister of State, Deputy Patrick O'Donovan, where works are being undertaken by the Office of Public Works. The former Minister of State, Mr. Kevin Boxer Moran, would have been involved with securing funding to do works there and safeguard a significant number of houses there. I know in the national development plan there is an allocation in the region of €1 billion for flood defence measures. It is something the Government is taking seriously and it is prepared to put the funding into it.

Part of this Bill relates to the dredging of new channels and deepening existing channels. This might cause issues. I do not see a problem as it must be done. There are parts of the Shannon at pinch points where the river is narrowed to half its size. If we do nothing and there is flooding, we will damage flora and fauna on the land anyway, which must be taken into account.

I agree with the proposal from Senators Murphy and Paul Daly for one authority to look after this issue. There is a working group comprising a number of authorities. I will relate a specific case from approximately 18 months ago. Waterways Ireland opened the gates at Meelick to reduce rising waters and the ESB decided to open two additional sluice gates at Athlone, bringing to six gates in total being opened at Athlone. All six gates were left open for the next five days until the lands at farms north of Meelick were flooded. For five days there was no co-ordination between the ESB in Athlone and Waterways Ireland in Meelick and, in between, the people on the Shannon callows were flooded. It is a fundamental problem and a lack of co-ordination led to that flooding. We must give the full legal responsibility for co-ordinating all operations to one body, which should be the Office of Public Works. It is a Government body and it could alleviate summer flooding and reduce the scale of winter flooding along the Shannon and its tributaries. We have been calling for that for a long time and it is incumbent on us to ensure this happens.

Maintenance or even large-scale works will not completely prevent flooding but could delay it and ensure land is not flooded. People will be able to keep their animals out for longer. It would also ensure housing is not flooded. Any legislation improving that position should be supported and I wanted to be here today to support Senator Murphy's Bill.