East Cork residents to protest over delayed rollout of flood defence works

Almost three years to the day after Storm Babet devastated homes and businesses across East Cork, a protest next month is set to highlight the delayed rollout of flood defence works for the region.

Members of the Midleton and East Cork Flood Protection Group will stage the protest due to what they feel has been a lack of action in improving flood protection measures in the wider East Cork area.

At 12pm on Saturday, October 17, protestors will gather at the Market Green Retail Park in Midleton, to call for the Government to expedite the installation of flood protection measures to safeguard lives and homes across the East Cork region.

Approximately 600 houses and 300 businesses were damaged during Storm Babet in 2023, forcing some businesses to close permanently. The total damage was estimated at between €180m and €200m.

Caroline Leahy, secretary of the Midleton and East Cork Flood Protection Group, told The Echo that one of the key reasons for holding the protest is that “not much has changed on the ground to give us protection”.

“As things stand currently, we are as much at risk now as we would have been pre-Babet,” Ms Leahy said.

“As a group, we didn’t think that we would still be here three years later.”

Stress and anxiety

Ms Leahy said the lack of action regarding flood defences has caused a significant amount of stress and anxiety for people.

The group is hoping that the protest will act as a catalyst for action to be taken to install flood defences.

“We thought it was such an obvious thing,” said Ms leahy.

“Considering how bad it was, that it would just be a fairly quick all-hands-on-deck approach and that it would be dealt with.

“So, to be three years on and going into another winter with that fear still hanging over us, people are really annoyed, really angry, and scared.

“If it can happen once, it can happen again, and it probably will happen again.

“We can’t really do anything to protect ourselves.

“It is all in the hands of somebody else — and that is kind of a scary place to be.”

Response far too slow 

Cork East Social Democrats TD Liam Quaide told The Echo that the response by the Government to flood protection in East Cork has been far too slow.

“The Midleton Flood Relief Scheme is progressing at a frustrating pace, while villages including Mogeely, Castlemartyr, Killeagh, Ladysbridge, Rathcormac, and Whitegate remain in limbo, without the certainty of clear delivery timelines.

“Even the interim flood barriers have been beset by problems, further undermining public confidence,” said Mr Quaide.

“People who saw homes and businesses devastated should not be expected to spend every period of heavy rain wondering whether it will happen again.

“Three years on, East Cork needs urgency on flood relief,” he added.

“Midleton’s scheme must be accelerated and the surrounding villages given clear, funded plans for permanent flood protection.”