Sir, – I see that the flood defences planned for Sandymount in Dublin for the last 20 years won’t be completed until 2032 at the earliest (News, November 16th).
Given the ever-increasing effects of global warming, would it not be more appropriate to bin the plans for flood defences and start planning for a marina instead? – Yours, etc,
BRIAN CULLEN,
Rathfarnham,
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Dublin 16.
A chara, – Just as the best model of a cat is a cat, the best model of a flood defence system for Sandymount promenade in 2023 is a physical flood defence scheme.
A rising tide will wash away all paper and electronic tidal and wave models. – Is mise,
DERMOT O’ROURKE,
Lucan,
Co Dublin.
Sir, – For 21 years, Dublin City Council has been “planning” a coastal flood protection project for Dublin Bay in this area. Frustrated by persistent delays, earlier this year elected members in the southeast area passed a motion directing the council to establish a flood relief taskforce that would comprise officials from the Office of Public Works, Dublin City Council and community representatives. The taskforce is to be chaired by an independent engineering consultant who could drive this project forward.
The terms of reference for this taskforce have been published and yet not a single meeting has taken place. It must urgently now be formed so that we can get on with the business of bringing accountability and transparency to such a critical component of infrastructure in our city.
We know that the OPW has approved and allocated the funding, but what is self-evident is that Dublin City Council has proven itself entirely incapable of delivering on what is admittedly a large and complex project.
Flooding has wreaked havoc to businesses, residents and communities alike across the country just in the past number of weeks. This area of our city, which will soon have 3,500 new homes built on the nearby glass bottle site, simply cannot afford to wait any longer. – Yours, etc,
Cllr JAMES GEOGHEGAN,
Fine Gael,
Dublin Bay South,
City Hall,
Dublin 2.