Council should provide 100% funding for flood protection

LOUTH County Council should provide 100 per cent direct funding for people to protect their premises from flooding as is done in a number of other counties, Cllr Frank Godfrey has urged.

The Drogheda councillor said that a number of other local authorities provide grants under the small works scheme so that people can get barriers or floodgates to protect their property.

Flooding causes thousands of Euros of damages to homes and commercial premises and once a property has been flooded, its impossible for the owners to get insurance.

He cited Dunleer and parts of Drogheda such as Ship Street, North Quay and Wellington Quay as areas which would benefit from such a scheme which is in place in counties like Mayo, Kerry, Carlow and Dublin.

‘Ship Street is the Coronation Street of Co Louth’ and he said that unless something was done, it would be ‘ lost’.

He also proposed that they call a special meeting with engineers and the OPW to explain the idea of barriers, along with the manufacturers.

Flooding is a problem which affects the whole of the county, while some had been dealt with under coastal erosion.

Cllr Tommy Byrne added his support, saying that ‘ the history of Ireland’ was contained in Ship Street.

Cllr Oliver Tully believed there was no need for the motion as people could already apply for money for flood barriers. He also sought clarification as to whether Cllr Godfrey was talking about individual premises or communities.

Referring to the recent CFRAM reports, he noted it would be a month or so before they would know what funding was coming.

Cllr Dolores Minougue felt the council should do something to help the businesses and householders whose property is at risk in Dunleer, while Cllr Pearse McGeough pointed out that there were areas with flooding problems which weren’t included in the CFRAM reports.

CEO Joan Martin said that primary responsibility for flooding rests with the OPW and not Louth County Council. Flooding had been ‘a major topic for discussion’ for as long as she was on the Council .