I raise the issue of the flood relief scheme in my home town of Enniscorthy. The Government committed to deliver the scheme in 2014, almost 11 years ago. People and business owners living beside the Slaney are constantly apprehensive and on the alert, especially in winter time and high-tide season. We were told that funding was ring-fenced in 2014. However, to date no progress is forthcoming. I ask the Taoiseach, who is well aware in his own county of the disruption and financial hardship flooding causes in people's lives to ask his Ministers to deliver the scheme, which is long overdue and to fulfil the promise given 11 years ago to the people and town of Enniscorthy.

I thank the Deputy for raising the matter. Flood relief schemes are taking far too long. There is a structural issue in terms of permits and various planning procedures. All across the country the delivery of flood relief schemes is snarled up. There are planning objections, and while people can object, it is taking far too long, with judicial reviews. It is serious because climate change is now. Its impact is being felt through severe storms and flooding. Life itself is in danger and loss of life happens in the context of terrible storms, or indeed potentially of terrible floods. The pace at which flood relief schemes are going is in my view out of kilter with the rapidity of climate impacts leading to more storms and floods. That is something on which I will be working with the OPW, local authorities and the Government more generally.