I want to ask about recent flooding in my constituency, particularly around the Midleton area. Last night I met residents in the Woodlands area, as did Deputy Stanton, and in Willowbank. Significant sums of money are needed to help with clean-up operations, with tree-felling, with interim repair works to private bridges and roadways, as well as for preventative measures for flooding. Would the Government consider making an emergency fund available to the local municipal district in order that it can respond to the urgent needs in the area? There was millions of euro worth of damage in a very concentrated area and there is a need for funding to be provided at a local level, directly from Government to Cork County Council.

I want to compliment the Minister for Social Protection, Deputy Humphreys, on the work that has been done by her Department to date.

I do not think it is a fund that we need, per se. What we need from the local authorities is a submission setting out the cost of the work they have carried out and the work they need to carry out and then we will examine it. As I said when I was there, accompanied by the Minister for Finance, Deputy Michael McGrath, and others, there will be an additional allocation for Cork County Council. It will not have to pay for these works and repairs from its existing budget but we will need a submission from it as to what works need to be carried out and how much they are going to cost. That will need to be cross-checked because it is public money after all.