Paul Daly (Fianna Fail)

As I was not here yesterday, I add my voice to the condolences and voices of comfort to the five families who were bereaved at the weekend. Along with four members with my family, I travelled to a football game in Mullingar on the N52 in a Volkswagen Golf on Sunday. To say it was a poignant trip would be an understatement because we had heard the news of the same type of car. I wish my remarks to be associated with all the remarks that were passed in the House yesterday.

Based on Senator Keogan's last contribution, I wish to be associated with the good wishes to Paschal Donohoe. I think my colleagues to the left will appreciate what I mean when I say he was one of the good Fine Gaelers. The World Bank's gain is certainly Ireland's loss. That is a fair statement for me to make and to tag anyone with.

Up the road from me this morning, in Cavan, Monaghan and north Leitrim, there is a lot of snow and hazardous travelling conditions, and yet I came up here to sunny, albeit cool, conditions. Winter is coming upon us and the weather is changing here as quickly as Minsters for finance. It was flood issues at the weekend where the councils were out with sandbags; today, they are out gritting. It may be appropriate for us to have statements now on winter readiness when it comes to transport on our rural roads and our protection against all that is coming down the track at us. It is happening so quickly and it is a bit pointless, useless and needless us having statements in this House after storms and weather events. We should have the Minsters in and see how winter ready we actually are.