Normal life resumes for beleaguered Tolka flood victims

SEVEN months after being driven from their homes by floodwaters, life for some north city Dublin residents is now only getting back to normal.

While the Office of Public Works is erecting a wall to prevent the Tolka bursting its banks again and prevent a recurrence of the November 14 disaster, workmen can be seen repairing some of the worst hit family homes.

Molly Delaney of Richmond Road, who is in her 80s, has been returning every day to the house she called home for over 50 years.

“As you can see, we’re still with the cardboard boxes for our stuff,” she said.

Outside in the tiny front garden, three weather beaten sandbags are a reminder of the night of devastation when Molly had to flee her home.

Barney Brack, a member of Tolka River Residents’ Alliance (TRRA) carried Molly to safe ground the night of the flood.

Since then Molly has lived with her younger sister Brigid Fitzgerald in nearby Glasnevin, and both women were tidying up the house on Richmond Road, which has still to have television and telephone services restored.

“I’ve been away seven months,” said Molly. “I’ve lived here since 1955. Everything was ruined.”

Molly is happy with her insurance settlement, unlike some residents who are battling for what they regard as fair compensation.

Said Mr Brack: “Some people are still in negotiations because they haven’t finally settled.

He added: “One of the top companies have just refused, point blank, to give insurance cover to some of the residents.

“The other companies are telling us they will reinsure us. But they are doubling and trebling the premiums and are also putting excesses of 5,000 and 6,000.”

Mr Brack said the residents’ body was challenging the higher premiums, “because, basically, if these interim flood works are carried out we won’t get flooded again. So why put your policy up two or three times and add an excess if the flooding is not going to happen?”

TRRA spokeswoman Ann O’Connor was one of the residents who reached a satisfactory settlement with her insurers.

“We have an independent insurance assessor working on our behalf, arguing with the insurance company. But I know other residents, whose damage was worse than mine, who got less compensation,” said Ms O’Connor, from Willmount Avenue.

Ms O’Connor also voiced annoyance at the failure of the city council to publish, as was promised, the report of consultants who outlined a number of interim measures needed to avoid further severe flooding.

“First we were promised we would see this report in May, then we were told there was a delay and we would be given it in July. Now we hear it’s a draft report and we won’t be getting it until November.”

Her colleague Mr Brack suspects the delay in publishing the report is the estimated huge cost of repair works, which he reckons could run from €80m to €100m.

Mr Brack pointed out four of the 11 houses in Grace Park Avenue have remained unoccupied since November.

Last week, Dublin City Council moved to demolish a retaining brick wall which had been rendered dangerous by the floods.

Over €1m in damage was caused to Tolka Rovers stadium, while grounds used by Shelbourne were devastated.