Sir, – The Bundoran water treatment plant is flooded. The site of a new treatment plant is also under water. Plans have gone ahead for this site even though it was designated “a floodplain mire” in the environmental impact survey. Progress? – Yours, etc,
GABRIEL DALY,
Bundoran, Co Donegal.
Sir, – Many of those suffering through the latest floods have been through all this before. Promises were made, and little was done. It is telling that in all our television news coverage this week, not one TD was to be seen on the ground. No-one is asking them to pack sandbags, or man the pumps, but at the very least there is an opportunity to show some moral support and encouragement. – Yours, etc,
DAVID McGUINNESS,
Dublin 16.
Sir, – Where’s the leadership? I have no time for politicians turning up for every photo opportunity however trivial. But this is one where I would expect our Taoiseach to put on his wellies and tour all of the areas affected, to see the scale of the problem and to take some appropriate short-term and long-term action. – Yours, etc,
BRIAN CULLEN,
Rathfarnham, Dublin 16.
Sir, – Given that it is now clear that “100-year events” are happening at least once a decade, and that councils for years have been allowing developments in flood plains, it seems only right that the State, which means us unfortunately, should take some responsibility for those flooded out on a regular basis. For houses built in areas where the councils can be shown to have overridden the advice of their staff, a state-guaranteed insurance scheme should be established. – Yours, etc,
PATRICK DAVEY,
Shankill, Dublin 18.
Sir, –This is not rocket science. The Shannon has a relatively small fall in its middle course, from Lough Allen to Lough Derg. Great banks of mud and bog silt are known to have built up in this middle course. Last week, Storm Desmond deposited a large amount of rain across Ireland. When this rainwater started to flow down the Shannon, it was held back by the mud banks and bog-silt deposits and could not get away quickly enough – hence the massive floods. All important rivers in Europe are kept clear by continuous dredging. Let the Shannon water flow quickly down the dredged channel and, with a forecast of much wetter winters ahead, let us forget about keeping an enormous reservoir of water locked up in Lough Allen. – Yours, etc,
Cllr DES GUCKIAN,
Dromod, Co Leitrim.