Cork City manager Joe Gavin today denied that he had attempted to blame the ESB for flooding in Cork city last November, and expressed surprise and disappointment at comments to that effect by ESB chief executive Padraig McManus.
"I was very surprised and disappointed to read the comments made by Mr McManus, at a meeting of the Joint Oireachtas Committee on the Environment yesterday," said Mr Gavin in a statement issued today.
Mr McManus told the committee yesterday that the company's principal responsibility was to protect Inniscarra dam and that it had no choice but to release large volumes of water on November 19th last year and would do so again if similar circumstances arose.
Mr McManus said Mr Gavin's report on the flooding given to city councillors last December criticised the ESB and contained inaccuracies. "The most unfortunate point about the report was the efforts to try to throw the whole issue on to the ESB . . .I think that's very sad."
Mr Gavin said that he would be seeking a full transcript of Mr McManus's submission and would address matters fully upon studying that, but he strongly refuted reports that he had sought to blame the ESB for the flooding.
"At no time did I blame the ESB or seek to do so and I assiduously avoided addressing any queries raised by the media which related to the management of the ESB Dams," said Mr Gavin, adding that contrary to what was reported, his report did not criticise the ESB.
"I gave several interviews to the media in the following weeks on the matter of the flooding and despite questions being raised as to whether the management of the dam was a factor, I avoided at all times any comment on this area.."
Mr Gavin said that Mr McManus is reported as having said that Mr Gavin's report, which was presented to Cork City Council on December 7th contained some inaccuracies but he said that he had checked its accuracy with the ESB prior to presenting it.
"Some days prior to the issue of this report, I was in contact with a senior ESB official whom I made aware of the content of the report and invited him to verify its accuracy in so far as it related to the ESB. On the day after its issue a written copy was sent to the ESB.
"Since that time no question was raised with the City Council with regard to the accuracy of the report. I will be requesting the ESB to let me know where they now perceive inaccuracies," said Mr Gavin, adding that his report was "a factual account of the event."
"It contained no opinion, attached no blame and the only reference it made to the ESB was to thank them for their co-operation and for their offer to supply flat-bottomed trucks to help with water distribution," he said, adding he plans to contact Mr McManus directly upon receipt of a transcript of the ESB submissions to the Oireachtas committee.
Meanwhile, Cork South Central Labour TD and Committee member, Ciaran Lynch said the conflict in opinions between ESB management and Cork City Council over the issuing of flood warnings highlighted the need for an independent inquiry into the cause of the flooding.
"There have been claims and counter claims about the level of communication between Cork City Council and the ESB on the evening of November 19 last year, in the hours before the ESB decided to release unprecedented quantities of water from Inniscarra dam,"he said.
"The ESB claim that they gave as much advance warning to local authorities as was possible in the circumstances, while the City Council would dispute that. We need to bring in expert opinion so that we can get to the bottom of this once and for all," he said.