I have seen disturbing pictures from Lahinch this morning showing extensive damage to the promenade, retail and residential areas. I have been in touch with Minister of State Brian Hayes and am asking that the Office of Public Works would make the necessary funding available to secure the infrastructure in Lahinch, including the footpaths, sea wall, promenade and surrounding areas, retail and residential areas.

I would hope that a funding application made by Clare County Council to rebuild the damaged areas would be processed swiftly by the OPW.

There may also be a case here for additional works to be carried-out in order to prevent this kind of extreme damage in the future and I will work closely with the local authority and the Minister’s office to make this case for assistance.

I also raised flooding issues in Dooras in O’Callaghan’s Mills, with Minister Hayes. There are four houses which have been inaccessible for the past week due to extreme flooding of the public road. The floods have created a very difficult situation for residents. Clearly, there is a need for a localised flood relief scheme to be introduced. The existing road needs to be repaired once the flood resides. To Clare County Council’s credit, the road was raised by several feet in 2009, but it is clear now that additional works need to be carried out.