I also ask the Leader to facilitate a debate, either today or tomorrow, with the Minister of State, Deputy Simon Harris, on the flooding issue. It has finally come to people's realisation that we have a serious problem with flooding, be it coastal flooding or rivers bursting their banks. I wrote about this extensively after the flooding that took place in 2014 along the coast of County Clare and all along the west coast. Up until a few years ago, approximately €30 million to €40 million per year was being spent on flood defences. While, thankfully, this figure has increased, it is now necessary to engage with the European Union to have an aggressive flood defences mechanism and programme under which the investment of hundreds of millions of euro is envisaged. The same approach must be taken to flood defences in Ireland as was taken to building motorways during the era of the Celtic tiger. Ireland has a fantastic road network because billions of euro was invested, rightly, to ensure its provision. It is now necessary to spend billions of euro on flood defences. We are an island nation surrounded by water and people live in coastal communities nationwide. The homes of people in Clonlara, County Clare and other counties are being flooded and the people affected will be in a worse position in a few hours time. Members must up the ante and there must be a realisation of the necessity to spend billions of euro on flood defences. Moreover, such a programme must be put in place urgently. While the State does not have the money to do this, we are a member of the European Union. As an island nation at the extremity of Europe, we have as many rights as citizens of Germany, France, Italy and every other member state. We must exercise these rights and apply for billions of euro in EU capital funding to ensure our citizens will not, from one month to the next, be fearful of inclement weather.

Aontaím le cuid mhaith den mhéid atá ráite maidir leis na tuilte ar fud na tíre atá ag déanamh an t-uafás damáiste. I support the call for a debate on flooding which is serious in the west, in particular, and the south. It has come to light that many of the issues arising in local areas are due to a lack of maintenance work being done during times when the weather is not bad.

During recent briefings given by the local authorities in Galway city and county, we heard about the frustration of the management of both authorities at the lack of resources and funding as a result of all the changes introduced by the Government under the Putting People First policy of the former Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government, Mr. Phil Hogan. I have never seen local managers as agitated as they have been in the past two to three weeks. For example, there are huge issues around housing and a lack of forward planning in terms of the hand-over of the administration of the housing assistance payment, HAP, scheme. We are told that owing to inadequate numbers of staff to handle the transfer of thousands of applicants from the Department of Social Protection to the local authorities, serious issues will arise after Christmas.

Many of the flooding issues arising in local areas are due to blocked drains and work in that regard not being done during the summer. Owing to the reduction in the number of staff on the ground and a lack of funding for maintenance work such as drain unblocking and road-sweeping and fixing, this work is not being done. When we approach local authorities about these issues, we are told there is no money available to do the work. We are also told that Irish Water is putting pressure on the local authorities to cut job numbers and that this is likely to occur in the next couple of months. Instead of increasing staff numbers, there is a huge push to get rid of people who are working on contract for Irish Water in the local authorities.

There has been much debate in recent times about housing and so on. We need to continue that debate because of the lack of social housing, the homelessness crisis and so on. Following the terrible tragedy in Carrickmines, we heard that many local authorities had returned unspent allocations for Traveller accommodation. This was refuted last week by Galway County Council. According to that council, its applications for funding under the Traveller accommodation programme were turned down. We need clarity on this issue. Somebody is not telling the full truth on these matters and we need to address that issue. A debate on the issues related to storm damage and the need for ongoing maintenance work to be carried out between storms and for the requisite resources to be provided is vital.

Like previous speakers, I would welcome a broad debate on the issue of flooding throughout the country. Global Flood Solutions, a company based, in part, in Athlone, County Roscommon - ironically, one of the worst hit areas in terms of flooding - sells flood relief products all over the world, yet the Government will not do business with that company in the interests of solving the problems being experienced in places such as Athlone and Athleague. It beggars belief that nobody from the Government is willing to engage with this company which could assist us in solving the problems - albeit temporarily - of the many families and businesses throughout the country that are suffering because of flooding. I would welcome a debate on this issue as soon as possible.

I support the call for a debate on the current flooding crisis. I also support the call made by Senator John Kelly for the Government to engage with Global Flood Solutions, Athlone, of which Mr. Shane Curran is the director. I understand this company has been seeking engagement with the Office of Public Works for many years on its products and that its requests have been refused thus far. In 2009 I spoke in this House about the village of Athleague which was under water at the time. Three public houses in the village remained closed until after Christmas that year because they were under water. Two of those pubs have since ceased trading, which is illustrative of the effect of flooding on an area. Athleague village is now under water again. While local people are assisting each other in the clean-up of houses and so on, the local pub remains closed. The local butcher shop, a chemist's premises and other shops are also closed. It is distressing. The proposed budget to address the crisis is inadequate. One fifth of the money being allocated could be spent in County Roscommon alone, where Golf Links Road and Lanesboro Road are, for a second time in six years, flooded. The Government has stood idly by since 2011 and not made any investment to address this issue.

The Senator is wrong.

Fianna Fáil did a lot.

In 2014 it abolished the drainage board which could have assisted in alleviating the flooding in Athleague by widening the outlet there.

Fianna Fáil was going to drain the River Shannon 100 years ago.

No action has been taken in this regard. This Government of Teflon kids seems to get away with everything.

That was Bertie Ahern.

Nobody appears to be able to pin them down. During the flooding experienced in 2009, the then Taoiseach, former Deputy Brian Cowen, and the then Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine, Deputy Brendan Smith, visited many of the areas that were flooded, including Athlone and Cortober, to inspect the damage caused.

That solved the problem.

Nobody from the Government is assessing the damage caused by the current flooding. I do not think the Irish Red Cross is the right organisation to distribute the money being provided. It should be distributed through the Department of Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation in the context of the impact on jobs or through the Office of Public Works. This is not charity work; it is business. I call on the county councils in the areas affected, particularly Roscommon County Council, to refund part of the rates paid for this year to assist affected businesses. It is distressing to see individuals such as Gerry McNulty, Alan Neilan and other young business people in Roscommon being wiped out for the second time since 2009.

The Senator should refrain from naming people in the House.

Some of these businesses will not be able to reopen in their current locations owing to the lack of proper drainage there. Nothing is being done in Roscommon town. Also, the beautiful building which it is proposed to construct in Roscommon town on behalf of the Office of Public Works - I welcomed the announcement in this regard when it was made - will lead to a further raising of water levels in the town. I have inspected many outlets in Roscommon town. I am convinced that major remedial works are required to assist in reducing the potential levels which future flooding might reach. We need to have a debate on this issue as soon as possible.

I presume a debate in the Upper House will suffice.