Micheál Martin (Cork South Central, Fianna Fail) | Oireachtas source

I thank the Deputy for raising the question. I visited the area and met with many residents. It is quite shocking what the residents in this area have gone through. It is an awful pity that the pipeline, which was 60% completed, was not enabled to go the full distance because a human disaster continues to unfold for the residents of that area. It was heart-rending to see.

Even as we walked there, the levels have not gone down in some areas. Everybody is afraid of next winter. The Deputy is correct in terms of the climate attribution study by the World Weather Attribution group. A key finding of the study is that it identified an increase of approximately 20% in rainfall intensities experienced during the period between October 2023 and March 2024. The big fear is that this is not a once-off anymore. There are, therefore, two issues. The council should proceed with the planning properly and get all the studies and keep doing that. That will not sort it out for this winter and, therefore, I will revert to the Attorney General in respect of legal advice around what can be done in the short term. However, I am clear that something has to happen in the short term in respect of this.

See this speech in context