One Year On, No Progress Made
18th November 2010
As we approach the first anniversary of the flooding of Cork City last November, Cork Chamber urges all of those charged with the responsibility for protecting the City to redouble their efforts to restore the confidence of the business community.
Cork Chamber Chief Executive Conor Healy said, “The Joint Oireachtas Committee on the Environment reported in July on last year’s flooding; however, not one government department, especially Minister Gormley’s Department of the Environment, Heritage and Local Government appears to be willing to take ownership of the situation. Cork Chamber fully recognises the attempts locally to move things on, but this is a national issue and deserves national attention. This inertia increases frustration amongst householders and businesses still struggling with the clean-up costs of last year as well as increased insurance premiums. While there has been a lot of planning, the agencies and bodies responsible need clear leadership from Government in order to move forward. The Lee Catchment Flood Risk Assessment and Management Study (Lee CFRAMS) recommends that work should be undertaken simultaneously, not in a piecemeal fashion”.
“The ESB previously assured Cork that last year’s flooding was a one-in-800 year disaster, we are now told it is possibly a one-in-fifty year occurrence. While we appreciate that the ESB has been working more closely with local agencies, the ESB’s statement that no changes have been made to their operating procedures in the last 11 months proves that it is unacceptable that the flood defence of Cork is so reliant on a power generating company. A Lee Catchment Flood Management Grouping - bringing together all stakeholders, including local authorities, OPW and the ESB - should be established. Contrasting views on what led to last November’s flooding continue to emerge, reinforcing the need to carry out an independent investigation”.
“It is simply unacceptable that long-term solutions have not yet appeared to get the priority that we believe is needed. Some simple improvements have not yet been taken. We need more emphasis on communication and warning systems so that local businesses can take measures to protect against flood events. We echo the concerns of our members when we look for genuine leadership from government in all its forms to prioritise this issue.” Mr Healy concluded.
Return to the News section