by Andrew Carey
IT WILL take at least four years to provide flood defences in St. Mary’s Park leaving already hard hit residents exposed to the high tides expected over the three days running up to next Monday.
Estimated at heights of almost seven metres from this Friday, the Shannon tides have already caused millions of euro worth of damage to over 300 homes in the area last month.
Senior officials at Limerick Council estimate that it will take at least three years to identify and another year to implement a permanent solution.
However, local independent councillor John Gilligan, whose home was also flooded, said that the solution is no more complicated than raising the embankment to form a permanent defence.
“The OPW own the banks and shores and we don’t need a pen pusher behind a Dublin desk to tell us what to do”, he said.
“At best, they can do the work to identify a solution in three to four years, but that’s far too long to wait. Government have said they will give us the money so let Limerick City Council take the lead and get on with it.
“The solution is to build up the bank between the bridges and the area around Brown’s Quay on the other side of the river. Mind-boggling bureaucracy is delaying permanent action being taken. Let the Regeneration Office take it in hand and work in tandem with the plan for Kings Island. That’s what makes perfect sense”, he said.
In figures released this Wednesday, over €100,000 in relief payments have been paid out to stricken St Mary’s Park flood residents.
Minister for housing Jan O’Sullivan confirmed this week that 275 claimants have availed this far of the money from the Humanitarian Relief Fund. This money, released in stage payments, has been used to cover the cost of replacement white goods, food and fuel.
On the ground, up to 1,000 industry standard one-tonne bags have been used to raise the embankment for a two-mile stretch around exposed areas of St Mary’s Park and Cllr Gilligan said that after the March high tides, he will be asking the council to undertake a clean-up of the sandbags that are scattered around the city.
However, a damning resident’s report has been drafted by the people of St Mary’s Park where they outline difficulties and their experiences in the wake of the floods.
It is understood to be critical of the official response to date and the level of relief action to rectify and assist stricken residents.
Meantime, the Government decision not to apply for EU emergency funding to repair the storm and flood damage has been heavily criticised.
Fianna Fáil national executive member Emmett O’Brien, has called on the Government to apply for the funding and distribute it on a county-by-county basis.
“€26 million nationally for damage to local authority infrastructure is not enough,” he said.
