I will follow earlier precedent, this being my maiden speech, to thank the people of south Tipperary for putting confidence in me to be their legislator and parliamentarian at the national level. I am very much looking forward to the opportunities and challenges ahead, and I am always conscious of the trust placed in me by the electorate of south Tipperary. I want to reflect on the role of local authorities having regard to recent weather events, not just Storm Éowyn but also, for example, the cold snap in early Ja…