Sir, – Fair play to our Taoiseach Leo Varadkar for his prompt visit to Midleton, and for assuring our community that humanitarian financial aid will be put in place so that families and businesses who have been devastatingly impacted can recover, and so infrastructure can be fully repaired.
Critically essential as the recovery fund and plan are, we absolutely also need more than that. Since 2010, under the EU floods directive on the assessment and management of flood risks, all EU countries are required to assess all areas where significant floods could take place, map the flood extent and assets and humans at risk in these areas, and take adequate and coordinated measures to reduce this flood risk.
The rights of the public to access this information and to have a say in the planning process are also important elements of the directive.
Our leaders have a responsibility to help our villages, towns, and cities prepare for disasters like floods as much as possible, receive flood protection in advance of any further flood disaster striking as much as possible, and increase the capacity to respond and recover when disasters hit.
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Previously flood-prone towns including Mallow, Fermoy, Bandon and Clonmel thankfully escaped Storm Babet without damage, thanks to Office of Public Works protection schemes. How is it that the householders, schools, and business owners in Midleton, a town so prone to flooding, were not protected under these schemes before now? Many local people had asked for this protection.
A long-awaited flood-defence scheme remains in the planning stage for Midleton, with construction work not expected before 2025.
We need to treat the climate emergency like an emergency, and put protection measures in place with the speed in which an emergency calls for. Storm Babet isn’t a once-off.
All our other local areas here that were so tragically affected by the floods should also apply for the flood relief scheme, including Whitegate, Killeagh, Inch, Rathcormac, Glandore, Glanmire, Riverstown, Ringaskiddy Carrigaline, Raffeen, Halfway, Rosscarbery, and Castletownbere.
Just as the United Nations has an international agency on disaster-risk reduction, I’m persuaded we need a similar department in our Government here. We need action, now, in our communities all around Ireland to build community protection, readiness and resilience responses to the climate-induced disruptions that are absolutely inevitable. – Yours, etc,
LYNDA MORRISSEY,
Aghada,
Co Cork.
Sir, – One of the major reasons why the flooding takes place on our streets is because of blocked shores and drains. Not a great deal of attention is given to water evacuation infrastructure by local authorities, which is one of its greatest failings.
When flood-water persists, efforts are made to unblock shores and drains, which proves that not enough effort is being made in unblocking them in the first place. Every year when tides are high and rain is heavy, many businesses and homes or flooded out unnecessarily because of blocked drains and shores. This is undoubtedly increasing insurance premiums substantially and costing jobs because businesses have to close.
We have all seen many drains and shores choked with debris, leaves, and earth. There are thousands of these drains all over the country which are crucial to deflecting rainwater away from property where it can do serious damage. Far more needs to be done to unblock infrastructure which is designed to give relief when rainwater is heavy and tides are high.
We have got to recognise the value of unblocking drains and shores, which should be done regularly and especially before heavy rain. Let’s not be lazy in unblocking infrastructure that is designed to give relief when rains and tides are high. Because all we are going to end up doing is paying through the nose with higher insurance premiums, or be refused insurance altogether. – Yours, etc,
MAURICE FITZGERALD,
Shanbally,
Co Cork.
Sir, – After the recent floods in Cork, it seems that the Government would rather repair the damage then fix the problem. – Yours, etc,
KEVIN DEVITTE,
Westport,
Co Mayo.