East Cork campaigners demand action on flood defence

Residents and business owners from the areas across East Cork worst impacted by flooding caused by Storm Babet in 2023 have said they are “not going to sit in silence” waiting for their premises to be impacted by any future flooding event.

The Midleton and East Cork Flood Protection groups held a protest outside Cork County Hall yesterday over what they say is the slow progress in implementing flood prevention and mitigation measures for the wider East Cork region.

Speaking to The Echo, Caroline Leahy, secretary of the Midleton and East Cork Flood Protection Group, said they hope that real and meaningful progress regarding flood protection works will be made in the near future.

“What we would like to see is a commitment from government level, all the way down to local authorities, that things are going to move with a bit of urgency,” said Ms Leahy.

“Our plan is to try to keep the pressure on, going forward, to make the point that we are not going to sit in silence and wait for the next flood to come.”