Businesses seek emergency relief funding

BUSINESSES in Cork wrote to the Government last night seeking emergency relief funding after an estimated €10 million damage was caused by the city’s worst flood in over 40 years.

The city’s central business district was completely devastated, said Frank Hanley, president of Cork’s Business Association. “This has affected everybody in the city centre,” Mr Hanley said.

“If this happened in any country of the world, if there was this type of problem, they would get funding. This has to be taken seriously,” he said.

The River Lee burst its banks just after 5pm on Wednesday sending a wall of water cascading towards South Mall, Oliver Plunkett Street and St Patrick’s Street, and their side streets, as far as Emmet Place.

The river also hit Pope’s, Lancaster and Lavitt’s quays, as well as the Sullivan’s quay and South Terrace areas.

While some premises on South Terrace escaped damage, the flood caused massive damage in the city centre.

Flood waters were higher than the last major flood of 1962. Most businesses were closed yesterday.

“Our members have suffered terribly and the Government has a role to play here,” Mr Hanley said.

The CBA wants the Department of the Environment to release funds to the city council to ensure it doesn’t have to raise its business rates next year.

“It would border on the disgraceful if traders were hit again with a rates hike,” he said.

“We have had a lot of calls, there is a lot of damage out there. As well as the cost of damage, there will be the cost of losing a few days’ trade. We need proper help,” he said.

CBA said they would seek a meeting with Cork-based Batt O’Keeffe, a junior minister in the Environment department to discuss the funding issue.

While the CBA praised the city council, the civil defence, the fire brigade and gardaí, some of its worst-affected members launched a blistering attack on the council.

City manager Joe Gavin defended the council’s performance and the city’s drainage system.

“The city council did all it could. I don’t believe we could have done anything else. It was an act of God,” Mr Gavin said.

“The river broke its banks on South Mall and there was nothing we could do about that. We can’t pump back the tide.”

He said City Hall issued warnings to trader’s representatives before 10am on Wednesday.

“There were warnings in newspapers and on the radio later in the day telling people about what was to be expected. But the speed and height of the water was unprecedented.”

Once the tide lowered, the water on St Patrick’s street cleared immediately, he said.

“That is an indication of how effective the drainage is and proves it was functioning.

“But there was no place for the water to go off Oliver Plunkett Street.”

Mr Gavin said the council will do all it can to help traders. It has waived a €280 licence fee to allow traders place rubbish skips outside their shops for the next few days.

Mr Gavin said he empathised with traders.

“I walked the area yesterday and it was a disturbing scene. It was sad to see them sweeping out their premises. But their resilience is good.”

City Hall officials briefed the Minister for the Environment on the situation a number of times yesterday.

However, the provision of any aid package is a matter for the Government, Mr Gavin said.

Meanwhile, the city council said its city-wide flood alert is being maintained.