Laura Harmon (Labour) | Oireachtas source

I welcome the Minister of State to the House. Storm Éowyn was a particular type of storm in terms of wind. We have had other types of storms, particularly in recent years. This is becoming part of our daily life and of the calendar year. There is often a series of storms. With climate chaos, this is something we have to be prepared for. We are probably the last generation of humans on this planet who will experience some semblance of normality in terms of weather and climate. Scientists are telling us that, the way things are going, there will be more storms and adverse weather conditions that we need to prepare for.

I want to speak about Cork city. The word "Corcaigh" comes from "corcach", which means "marsh". Essentially, it was built on marshland and is surrounded by water. Cork is vulnerable to flooding, as many cities and coastal areas in Ireland are. Ireland needs a proper flood prevention system, particularly in Cork. We need to consider how we look after our rivers, too. The practice of dredging does not tend to work in the long term, so we need more natural solutions. I am thinking of River Glasheen in Cork, for example, which my neighbours have been adversely affected by. In places like Riverview Estate and Clashduv Estate, they fear when they hear any rain warnings what will happen to them because they have had a situation where water came halfway up their doors. This poses a major issue in terms of insurance for properties and businesses. We need localised flooding plans, almost on a street-by-street basis. In places like Douglas Street in Cork, businesses are adversely affected. Local authorities need to be funded properly to do the excellent work they do, which includes making sure drains are cleared regularly across the city.