I asked the Taoiseach these questions because we now have visual proof of his interest in the marine from photographs taken in Drumcondra. I wanted to press the issue with him because given his interest in flooding it seems strange that according to the Estimates there will be a cut in humanitarian flood relief from €8.5 million to €59,000. Is he convinced that there will not be any further flooding? Has he managed to grapple with and conquer the problem of climate change and global warming? Is he able to say to our fishermen that there will not be any need for the 1999 report commissioned by the Department of the Marine and Natural Resources which states that we urgently need an emergency towing vessel? This need is too urgent to be deferred until the next time questions are tabled to the Minister for Communications, Marine and Natural Resources; it must be acted upon.

The tentative figure put in under this heading has been the same for the past five years. As the Deputy said, it is to provide for humanitarian relief. Every year when a crisis has arisen such as the regrettable incidents of flooding in Meath, Dublin, north Kildare and in some other parts of the country over the weekend, it must be dealt with. The scheme that was operated by the Red Cross under the Office of Public Works on the last occasion there was flooding will also operate on this occasion. I think this matter is the subject of a request under Standing Order 31, but if it is not, it will be dealt with in precisely the same way as the flooding that occurred in Gort, Clonmel and other locations.

The matter is the subject of a Private Notice Question.

The resources that are necessary to provide for such relief are on the basis of humanitarian need and cannot be budgeted for. Such relief is not budgeted for, otherwise resources would lie there unused as happened some years ago. Regrettably such relief has been called for on two occasions this year – the flooding that occurred on 1 February and the flooding last weekend.