Ireland – South & West on alert as more rain forecast

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Parts of the south and west are on high alert this evening as more rain and high winds are forecast.

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The Taoiseach has said that local emergency plans in place are working well to deal with the effects of flooding.

Speaking after a meeting of the Emergency Co-Ordination Committee to discuss the flooding, Brian Cowen said the Government was clearly very concerned about making sure displaced people were prioritised.

He also said it was important that people have access to clean drinking water and the Government was also concerned about protecting installations like hospitals.

The Taoiseach commended the work of emergency services and said gardaí and the Army were assisting them.

The Defence Forces have 175 troops on the ground and twice that number on standby as well as trucks, boats and helicopters.

The Minister for the Environment, John Gormley, insisted that Government investment in flood protection measures would continue, despite the economic downturn.

The Army has been deployed to some of the worst hit areas, including Cork city, Clonmel, Ballinasloe and Carlow where they are assisting local emergency services.

Flooding in Galway has worsened following heavy overnight rain and high winds.

The President of the Irish Farmers’ Association has called for all available assistance to be given to those whose homes and properties have been devastated by the flooding.

Padraig Walshe was speaking in Galway where tens of thousands of acres of farmland are under water.

Mr Walshe said people were angry because the damage could have been avoided.

The TEEU which represents fitters, plumbers and electricians in the local authorities and health boards say they are going to have to review their emergency contingency plans in Cork city for Tuesday’s National Day of Protest.

Regional Secretary Pat Guilfoyle says the city is locked in the grip of an emergency and their 35 members are not going to do anything that will make the plight of the people worse.

Almost half of Cork city’s 40,000 households, mainly on the northside, are without clean water.

Cost of flooding may exceed €100m

Insurance companies say they expect the cost of the flooding nationwide to exceed €100 million.

RTÉ News has learned that some insurance companies are proposing to examine whether the release of water from the ESB’s dam at Iniscarra in Cork exacerbated the city’s flooding.

Questions have also been raised about the level of warnings given by the ESB about the potential for flooding.

But the ESB has rejected any suggestion that its actions may have worsened the flooding.

A spokesperson said the company gave early warnings to the state authorities and the media about the risk of flooding, as soon as it became apparent.

It also claims that the existence of the dam greatly reduced the magnitude of the flooding.

Throughout Ireland, council workers have been out since early morning opening drains and gullies in an effort to keep down water levels.

Gardaí have said almost all minor roads in the south and east of Co Galway are flooded and extreme care needs to be taken by motorists who attempt to get through waterlogged sections.

Hundreds of local volunteers have also brought in earth moving equipment to try to relieve flooding around farm buildings.

In Ballinasloe, the ESB has cut off power supplies to flooded estates but some families who were unwilling to leave their homes brought in generators to provide themselves with temporary supplies. Read more…

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