Some Cork businesses showing support for alternatives to flood defence scheme

SOME businesses in Cork City have shown their support for Save Cork City (SCC) and their attempts to challenge the Morrison’s Island flood defence scheme in the High Court.

Cork Flower Studio on Douglas Street is showing its support for the group who have lobbied for the use of a tidal barrier instead of the flood walls in the Office of Public Work’s (OPW) flood relief scheme.

The studio will be giving away ‘LOVE the LEE’ stickers to customers this weekend, in a bid to support the group and their decision to appeal to the High Court on the Morrison’s Island project.

“While the tidal barrier might not be the ultimate viable option for Cork, I really feel like there’s a better option available,” said Justine Looney from the Cork Flower Studio.

“There’s definitely merits to some of the urban realm schemes that they’ve been proposing alongside the walls, but I really, really would strongly feel that the walls are a bad, bad option for Cork,” she said.

Ms Looney said that she “100%” supports attempts to stop the wall scheme and has experienced the impact of the flooding herself.

“We’ve been flooded three times ourselves and we have flood gates and we’ve started to adapt to the flooding. We know it’s not going to change.” 

The support comes after Cork business groups, Cork Chamber, Cork Business Association, Construction Industry Federation, Vintners Federation of Ireland - Cork City Branch, and Retail Excellence Ireland, collectively called on SCC to conclude their legal challenge to the Morrison’s Island flood defence and public realm scheme.

“We can’t allow flooding to be considered acceptable, and we ask SCC to consider the reality of what their ongoing judicial review means for people running businesses in the area and for developers and investors looking to focus their activity in Cork,” read the joint statement.

“SCC to consider whether this judicial review is proportionate to their stated goal of protecting heritage and whether it is appropriate to delay a project that has received such widespread support and approval.” 

However, Broderick Chemist has also shown support for SCC group and owner Barry Broderick has described the current plans for the Morrison’s Island project as “short-sighted”.

“Everybody wants cork city to succeed, nobody wants cork city to be damaged by flooding, nobody wants businesses to be harmed. There’s a genuine concern that this scheme that the OPW have proposed just won’t work.” he said.

“I just think it's short-sighted not to consider the tidal barrier.”