Malcolm Byrne (Fianna Fail) | Oireachtas source

The Leader will be aware of the hurricane that happened in Leitrim and the impact it has had. I have raised in the House previous similar incidents in Foulksmills in south Wexford. Extensive damage was done to a number of homes as a result of winds blowing at a rate of up to 130 km/h. Any of the much needed supports for Leitrim village should also be made available to those in Foulksmills. Only very limited supports have been made available. This speaks to the bigger issue of the increased number of adverse climate events we are experiencing in this country. It has an impact on insurance because more businesses and properties are now not insurable due to adverse weather events. It is critical that we have a debate around the levels of support that are available to homes and businesses as a result of adverse weather events, whether that is flooding, as we have seen in places like Midleton, or the hurricanes we have seen in Leitrim and Foulksmills. I hope we can facilitate that debate in the new year.