President: Government must do more after flooding
PRESIDENT Michael D Higgins has called on the Government to do more to help the stricken people hit by disastrous flooding this week.
He criticised the Government by saying the precautions in place were “insufficient” and he added that the community in Co Cork now needs to “get every assistance that is needed and beyond it”.
President Higgins sent his “heartfelt” support to the people of Midleton and surrounding areas after flash flooding during the week left homes and businesses destroyed.
He was speaking to reporters in Rome after delivering the keynote address at the World Food Forum from the UN’S FAO (Food and Agriculture Organisation) headquarters.
President Higgins said: “First of all, my heart goes out to them because I remember since I became President going down and looking at the flooding in Cork before.
“And looking at the images of people in Midleton, for example, people having spent all of their lives looking after their house, looking after their neighbours and they’re just devastated.
“I think it’s very important to realise as well from a Government policy point of view, and no doubt Government is considering this, is that whatever protections they had were insufficient.
“And we’re now in circumstances where [there are] the consequences of climate change.
“My message for the people would be this, try and get over this particular stress, and it’s very easy to say ’be resilient’, but anybody who knows that effect of water, even when the water itself has subsided.
“My wish as President is that they would get every assistance that is needed and beyond it to enable them to restore their community.”