Floods: Cowen should talk to Berlusconi

MORE than a week gone, homes ruined by incessant floods, a crisis in the church, a horrendous budget looming.

I used to live in the Shannon Banks area of Corbally on the Clare border. Flashback to Christmas eve 1999 ... the Shannon burst its banks and my Christmas morning was spent moving electrical stuff, presents, etc, upstairs.

Clare County Council was great in trying to stem the tide. I made its personnel numerous cups of tea while they worked under treacherous conditions. I eventually moved out of the area as nature is an unknown force and not to be reckoned with. There was no sign of local politicians or our church leaders coming to have a look and offer consolation to distraught neighbours mopping up. No doubt they enjoyed their turkey.

It’s shameful when local politicians warble on and promise to sort out flooded estates while the greedy bankers and builders who got us into this mess are getting away scot free.

In Italy, after the earthquakes in L’Aquila, prime minister Silvio Berlusconi immediately mobilised all the emergency services and they did trojan work. Can the Taoiseach have a chat with Silvio at the next EU summit and learn how it should be done instead of walking around a pensioner’s flooded kitchen in his Offaly constituency, smiling with his hands in his pockets.

Fergus South

Fedamore

Co Limerick