The ways by which successive Fine Gael and Fianna Fáil governments have handled flooding over the past ten years is an example of gross incompetence. In March 2025, I put a parliamentary question to the Minister for housing - it is a shame he has left the Chamber; he has abandoned ship on this issue - asking about the national flood forecasting and warning service. I asked, in particular, why this information was not being released publicly. The service was set up in 2016. Ten years later, we still have no public information about forecasting and warnings. I was told stage 1 was being managed by the OPW and that the data was not mature enough to provide warnings for locations to the public. We asked for an update just last week. The reply from the Department of housing was there was 48 hours left. It took numerous attempts from officials in this House and from our office just to get a response and what we learned was nothing new. We have been trying to establish this for ten years trying to establish this and we still do not have publicly available forecasting data. In Kildare last week we were told to brace ourselves because areas of Newbridge and Clane could be flooded due to necessary alleviation procedures at the Pollaphuca dam. The ESB was able to brief public representatives and communities but there is a bigger problem here. We need to see investment in the dam in terms of its capacity. Questions still arise as to where the liability would fall if semi-State agencies knowingly flooded communities in this State. I commend the Minister of State on his dedication in respect of this issue. My concern is that his colleagues in government, namely those in Fine Gael and Fianna Fáil, do not share his commitment when it comes to flooding and, ultimately, climate change. I agree with Emeritus Professor John Sweeney that it is time to do what this law demands in the context of climate change.

Sentiment score: -0.14