Anger as no flood works date yet for East Cork villages

No commitment has been given on a date for flood protection works in East Cork villages, as residents shared how the uncertainty is affecting their lives at a meeting of the Oireachtas petitions committee.

Vivienne Jeffers, on behalf of the residents of Mogeely, Catherine Power who represented homeowners and businesses in Castlemartyr, Kenneth Drury from Rathcormac, and Martina Williams from Killeagh, all spoke of their homes being flooded and the difficulty in getting support since.

They appealed to TDs to advocate for their inclusion in flood protection schemes, as they have been told that works to protect their homes from flooding will not begin until a scheme to protect the town of Midleton is complete, with Ms Power saying there was “growing anger” due to a lack of support.

Ms Jeffers told the committee: 

“Two years after Storm Babet, I still can’t fully describe the heartbreak of watching our home flood. We did everything right — we reached out, we followed every process — yet we’re still no closer to protection.

“Losing my children’s baby photos and the door frame where I marked off their ever growing heights was hard enough but the thought of what will happen if I stop campaigning for protection.

“I dread the day our luck runs out during the next flood and we lose their lives, this is absolutely unbearable. Please give my children back their mother.”

After the meeting, Social Democrats TD for Cork East Liam Quaide raised the issue with Taoiseach Micheál Martin in the Dáil, saying that the last time he had brought this up with Mr Martin “he responded in an almost disdainful tone, as if I was asking a naive question”, and said that the Midleton flood relief scheme was “complicated”.

Mr Quaide welcomed the Midleton scheme, but asked why there were no timeframes for the protection of the four villages, over two years on from Storm Babet.

Mr Martin said: “I am as anxious as he is to get a flood relief plan enacted and implemented as quickly as possible. The deputy does not have a monopoly on concern.” 

He said Mr Quaide “has a habit of making commentary that is not accurate and I take issue with that”, saying he was not disdainful and adding that “it is an unnecessarily sly way of doing business”.

Mr Quaide asked again when there would be action on the scheme, and Mr Martin said: “The deputy knows it involves a lot of stakeholders and a lot of consultation with people. The sooner we get it done the better and the Government is committed to getting it done.”