Councillors angered by delay to town’s flood relief scheme

THE minister in charge of the Office of Public Works (OPW) could face being sued if his department fails to proceed immediately with a €20 million-plus flood relief scheme.

The warning came from the chairwoman of Cork County Council’s Northern Division, Aileen Pyne. She was responding to a letter received by Minister Tom Parlon regarding attempts by councillors seeking a personal meeting with him over delays to the Fermoy flood relief scheme.

Ms Pyne was infuriated with the two-line reply from Mr Parlon, acknowledging their request for a deputation but, a month later, still not providing councillors with a date for that meeting.

The Fine Gael councillor said she could not understand why work was now proceeding on a similar multi-million scheme in nearby Mallow, but nothing was being done in Fermoy.

“I’m very, very annoyed with this letter. It’s something we’re debating again and again at this area committee meeting and also at Fermoy Town Council,” Ms Pyne said.

The councillor pointed out that, in the event of a flood, water would rush out of Mallow faster and therefore descend with even more speed on Fermoy, 17 miles downstream.

Ms Pyne said that people in Fermoy might have the right to sue the OPW if, as a consequence of the Mallow project, flooding in their town was exacerbated.

Fianna Fáil councillor Frank O’Flynn was upset by the letter, but became angrier when he heard from council engineers that the Fermoy project wouldn’t go on public display until at least the autumn.

“What good is a warning system for Fermoy. What is the OPW up to? We were told last year it (the public display) would be in the spring, now we’re told it’s the autumn. So, in fact, it will probably be next year.

“The people of Fermoy don’t need an early flood warning because they know when it’s coming. They do need alleviation works,” Mr Flynn said.