Call for a flood protection review to be carried out in Limerick City

Fianna Fáil TD for Limerick, Willie O’Dea, has called for a flood protection review to be carried out in Limerick City after last night’s flash floods devastated parts of the city.

Deputy O’Dea said: “Homes in King’s Island and St Mary’s Park in particular were severely affected by the flash floods in Limerick over the past couple of days, which are the worst in living memory.

“Families have suffered hundreds of thousands of euro worth of damage and in many cases they had to buy their own sandbags to protect their homes.

“We need to stop being so reactionary when it comes to floods. Other cities and towns have established Crisis Management Teams to instigate early warning systems and to co-ordinate both preparations and rapid response. The same should be done in Limerick as a matter of urgency.

“Flooding is becoming more and more prevalent and we need to be prepared for the worst when these exceptional weather conditions hit. We need to see a strategic review of how the city reacted and what could have been done better.

“We also need to see the Government pledging emergency relief funding for Limerick. A lot of cities and towns throughout the country have been hit and the Government must be true to their word and provided necessary funding to help businesses and families that have been severely hit.

“There is also funding available from the EU Solidarity Fund for areas and regions affected by extreme weather conditions and the Government should also explore this option.”