I knew Tom when we were both students in UCD. He was an affable and charming individual.

I also express my personal disappointment that following yesterday's Cabinet meeting, emergency funding was not made available to families in the Quilty area of County Clare who have been flooded out of their houses as a result of the recent inclement weather. It would have been appropriate to make funds available to construct an emergency rock armoury in the Quilty area to protect the 14 homes in question given the fear about the further high tides due on 1 February. I ask the Leader to use his good office to encourage the relevant Departments to make emergency funding available to Clare County Council in order that it can secure these families' homes. As Members will be aware, serious damage was caused to the coastline of County Clare and neighbouring counties as a result of the bad weather. An application needs to be made to the European Union Solidarity Fund and other European Structural Funds to ensure adequate defence mechanisms are put in place to ensure we do not see a repeat of this devastation. This is important for private as well as public property. We must not discriminate in this context between public and private property because at the end of the day the private property is owned by citizens who pay taxes in this country. I ask the Leader to arrange an urgent debate on the flooding crisis that arose over Christmas, this week if possible.