East Cork residents fury over delays to flood defence measures 

Midleton resident representatives have accused Office of Public Works minister Kevin ‘Boxer’ Moran of “spinning” delays to East Cork flood defence measures as “development milestones” .

Caroline Leahy of the Midleton and East Cork Flood Protection Group said that residents want the completion of long overdue work. “We are in the storm season, yet measures to help protect us from floods are still beset with delays,” she said.

“We are just sick and tired of the way these delays are dressed up and spun by the minister as development milestones.

“The latest announcement by the Government was trumpeted as a new development, when it is in fact confirmation that things are being delayed yet again.”

The Office of Public Works (OPW) minister announced on October 1 that the €5.8m Individual Property Protection (IPP) Scheme — announced in 2024 to provide flood barriers to 723 properties in Midleton and the wider East Cork area — will be completed in November.

However, in October 2025, Cork County Council had said it would be completed by “mid-2026”.

Announced planning application

The minister also announced on October 1 that the council will formally lodge a planning application for the delayed Midleton Flood Relief Scheme “at the end of the year” and the project will be completed by 2031.

This is despite the minister saying in July that planning would be in by September.

The previous OPW minister Kieran O’Donnell had, however, announced in October 2024 that the application would be in by early 2026, and the project completed in 2030.

Mr Moran’s announcement on October 1 confirms the planning submission has now been delayed again by a further three months.

In reply to accusations that the minister and OPW are “spinning” delays as new developments, a spokesperson declined to comment. Instead, they pointed out that Cork County Council is due to provide updates on time frames for the delivery of flood relief and mitigation measures at its next flood committee meeting on October 15.

In a previous explanation for delays to the IPP scheme, the council said: “The scale of this scheme vastly exceeds that of any similar scheme delivered in Ireland previously.

Challenging

“The market response for both supply of barriers and works contractors interested in undertaking the type of work required has been challenging to date.”

Local Social Democrats TD Liam Quaide said: “The lack of urgency in delivering flood protection for East Cork’s villages remains unacceptable.

“Almost three years after Storm Babet, residents are facing another winter with the fear that their homes could flood again.

" The minister and OPW need to give these villages a clear timetable for permanent flood [measures] and provide the staff and funding needed to deliver it.” He said the Government should support the county council to put interim protection in place.

“These communities cannot be left waiting indefinitely.”

Midleton residents are to stage a protest in the town on October 17 at 12pm.