Ministers defend Taoiseach response to floods

Fine Gael's minister of state with responsibility for the office of public works Simon Harris and Labour's Environment Minister Alan Kelly rejected growing criticism of the Taoiseach's whereabouts, saying people do not want to see Mr Kenny "just putting on the wellies and doing a Bertie Ahern".

However, despite the defence by both coalition parties, pressure is continuing to mount after Fianna Fáil leader Micheal Martin

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Speaking after a meeting of the national emergency storm co-ordination group in Dublin, Mr Harris said that despite the criticism Mr Kenny visited communities damaged by the storms earlier this week and will do so again in the coming days, adding that any storm-hit families he has visited have not questioned where he has been.

"The people of Ireland know where Enda is, they know he was at the Council of State yesterday [Tuesday] and I've said very clearly the Taoiseach will be visiting flooded areas over the coming days.

"This is about action. When I look at people in the whites of their eyes in the places I've visited, yes they want you to be there, yes they want you to listen to them, yes we need to listen to them, but they also want us to come with a few solutions and a few ideas and that's what Government has been working on doing," he said.

The Wicklow TD said while "understandably the media like to see politicians out and about doing photo-calls", it is important that "the Taoiseach isn't just putting on the wellies and doing a Bertie Ahern, saying look at me" and is instead "taking action through conference calls, ring-fencing €430m in funds, setting up "an inter-departmental group" which will report on how to address the flooding crisis in spring.

Responding beside Mr Harris moments after his Bertie Ahern remark, Environment Minister and Labour deputy leader Alan Kelly said he and his cabinet colleague were leaving straight after the media briefing to travel to flood-hit Athlone and that "the wellies are in the boot".

He said both ministers "are in contact with the Taoiseach and Tánaiste all the time" and had "a long conference call this morning" as the issue is "the top priority" for Government.

Mr Kelly stressed the issue is not "about photo-shoots" and that Ireland has "gone past that cynicism".

However, his party colleague Rural Affairs Minister Ann Phelan struck a different note on RTE radio, saying "I'm not quite sure what the Taoiseach's schedule is like at the moment, all I know is I'm out with my people".

She said areas around the River Barrow in her Carlow-Kilkenny constituency look like they have been hit by a "tsunami" and that "the street just looks like a war zone", adding: "something has to be done, because we simply can't go through this again."

Her comments were echoed by Fianna Fáil leader Micheál Martin and party colleague Colm Keaveney, who claimed "there is no sense of urgency from Government in responding to the needs of flooded communities" and called for the Dáil to be recalled immediately to address the crisis.

"Where is the Taoiseach and why has he failed to co-ordinate a countrywide response to the latest flooding?," Mr Martin asked.

While Government officials have stressed Mr Kenny has met with flood victims and is due to do so again in the coming days, the criticism will be unwelcome just weeks away from a general election.

During the November 2009 floods, then Taoiseach Brian Cowen suffered significant damage to his reputation as a leader when he belatedly visited flood-hit sites and appeared less than engaged in the process, a claim Fianna Fáil denied at the time.