‘We need funds to address floods’

JOHN BRASSIL TD CALLS ON MINISTER MORAN TO VISIT FLOODSTRUCK NORTH KERRY REGION

KERRY Fianna Fáil TD, John Brassil is calling for a special emergency fund to be established by the Government to support Kerry County Council to repair roads affected by the recent heavy rains and flash flooding, and for businesses and homes damaged.

“Now is the time to start the process of establishing such a fund, so it can be utilised as quickly as possible by those affected,” Deputy Brassil said.

“We have seen reports of damaged roads and laneways in North Kerry, and while the County Council will do their best as always, they will need additional funding from central government to repair and replace the damaged infrastructure.

“Minister Ross needs to move quickly and establish this emergency fund to allow Kerry County Council start repair works as quickly as possible.

“Homeowners and business owners have also seen damage to their properties, and they need to know the Government will step in and assist them.

“We cannot have a situation of damaged roads and laneways being left over the Christmas and winter period.

“The bad weather will only exacerbate the damage, and I believe that lives could be lost on these roads.

“I will attempt to raise this issue in the Dáil with the Minister to ensure that it is set up as quickly as possible. We cannot let it get any worse,” concluded Deputy Brassil.

Councillor Robert Beasley also re-iterated the need for extra funding for the Council, saying that whether it comes from our own Government or from Europe, funding was badly needed to help prevent further damage or loss of life.

“The council will not have the finances to complete all the necessary repairs, more help is needed,” he said, speaking to The Kerryman on Monday.

“Funding from Dublin or indeed EEC funding is badly needed to help repair the damage caused.”

The councillor said that more needs to be done on all sides to make sure that this done continue to happen more and more every year.

“There is an onus on all sides here, from both the council to the farming community to make sure that fields are all drained properly and that ditches that contain drains are not being built over,” he continued.

Speaking about the dangers to life caused by the flooding, the councillor revealed a story he heard about a man from just outside Listowel who was trapped in his home with his two children when flood water, of up to two feet came down the passageway of his home and up through the floorboards.

“If this had been an emergency, it would have been very difficult to get to this man and his family quickly. Something needs to be done to combat this, we can’t keep calling it a freak accident, when it’s only going to get worse over the next 50 to 100 years,” he finished.