Tim Lombard (Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

It is great to have the Minister of State, Deputy O'Donnell, here to discuss the issue of the flooding in Ring. Last Friday evening, we had the wonderful opportunity to welcome him to Ring, which really was a great honour for me. He met up with local councillor, John O'Sullivan, and members of the tidy towns committee in the area, particularly Frances Coakley. He also met local election candidate, John Michael Foley, and other members of the community to discuss this matter.

Ring is a beautiful part of the world. It is a few miles outside of Clonakilty. On that night, it was described as the Italian Riviera of west Cork. It is a gorgeous part of the world. My grandfather hails from it. When the main drainage and flood defence works were carried out around Clon and Clonakilty Bay, the village of Ring was not included. That has been a very significant issue ever since. Ring is on the Wild Atlantic Way. It is a significant national tourism location. People are directed through Ring because it is on the Wild Atlantic Way. As a result, there is a significant volume of traffic going through the area.

We have very great issues when it comes to flooding. Ring was flooded three times in the past month because of high tides and the wind blowing from particular directions. It is happening every month, particularly in the wintertime. We need to find a solution. An appropriate flood relief scheme needs to be put in place to make sure that Ring is suitable for the residents who live there, for the businesses that do fantastic business and provide wonderful service there and for the people who use the amenity and drive along that way, which is an important national route. The Wild Atlantic Way is a real success story for Ireland. There is an issue with the walls that needs to be looked at. Walls need to be repointed. We also need to look at sealing the walls and, in some locations, we need to raise the level of the road. We also need to look at non-return valves.

Cork County Council made an application to the Department of Public Expenditure, National Development Plan Delivery and Reform on foot of a meeting I had in my office in Bandon with the current Minister for Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science, Deputy O'Donovan, who was the Minister of State in charge of the project at that time. It is a significant small-scale project that would be of great benefit to the entire community. I appeal to the Minister of State for an update as to how this project can be moved forward. The application has been with his office for the last few months. It is a significant application put together by the department in Cork County Council. What we need to hear this morning is where the movement is with this really significant project. We need to make sure that Ring, its residents and its infrastructure are protected. It is heartbreaking to have had one of the public houses in the village flooded three times last month. You would not see it anywhere else in Ireland but, unfortunately, that is the situation in Ring at the moment.

The residents of Ring have been very patient. They have seen the great works happening in Clonakilty over the past decade and have been waiting for a flood relief scheme to come to their part of the world. We have had a significant number of meetings over the past five or six years. We now need to see the approvals required from the Department in order that we can move forward. It is to be hoped that will mean a flood defence scheme can be put in place to protect Ring and its residents so that they can move forward. We are very conscious that the year is moving on. We need to have a scheme put in place by this winter to protect Ring because seasonal weather will change towards the end of the year and Ring will be flooded again. I deeply believe we need to move forward this project urgently. If we do, we can protect the infrastructure, the houses and the residents of Ring. We can protect that wonderful amenity, the Wild Atlantic Way. At the moment, when the village is flooded, some people have to divert onto the N71 and go around. When we put so much work and energy into promoting the Wild Atlantic Way, it makes no logical sense to allow it to be diverted because of a flooding issue.

The Minister of State was in the village last Friday night and met the residents and public representatives. He understands the frustrations in the area. Will he give me an update on where this project is at the moment and how it can be progressed?