COWEN TO HIKE FUND

POLITICAL pressure looks likely to force Taoiseach Brian Cowen to increase the Government’s €10 million humanitarian fund while the Irish Red Cross has appealed for help to distribute hot meals and blankets to flood victims.

Mr Cowen yesterday accepted the €10m emergency aid package would not be enough. The Taoiseach will visit flood affected areas in the Midlands, Offaly and Westmeath today.

Mr Cowen warned the situation remained “critical” in parts of the country with more heavy rain still to come.

Meanwhile, the Irish Red Cross says it badly needs money to fund its emergency response. The agency’s ambulance crews have spent the last week supporting emergency services in Cork, Galway, Tipperary and Waterford.

“This is an appalling catastrophe for the people whose homes and livelihoods have been destroyed or damaged by these floods,” said Irish Red Cross vice chairman Tony Lawlor. “Our volunteers are already working in the towns and areas most affected and we will gladly accept donations to help them in this work.”

The ESB was asked why water levels in Inniscarra were kept so high during past months and not lowered to minimise the effect of heavy rains.

Oireachtas politicians from Cork met the ESB in Leinster House last night over its response to last week’s initial flood threat. The company was also asked if the age of the Inniscarra Dam had compromised its safety.

Cork north central TD Bernard Allen (FG) said the hour-long meeting had not provided sufficient answers and it underlined the need for an independent inquiry.

“It was unsatisfactory. The key question for me is why the levels of water were so high going into the winter. And this was not answered.”

Repair work on Cork’s water treatment plant, which shut down fresh water supplies to 18,000 consumers after it was flooded, is continuing. City council engineers hope to have all supplies restored by Sunday.

IFA president Padraig Walshe held talks with EU Agriculture Commissioner Mariann Fischer Boel. He urged Ms Fischer Boel to secure an EU aid package for farmers who have been badly affected by the impact of the flooding and later called on the Government to immediately pursue this.

Mr Walshe said the Government allocation of €2m for fodder is helpful, but much more resources will be needed.

Huge volumes of water were being released by the ESB into the Shannon basin last night in order to prevent the “catastrophe” of a dam collapse.

“It’s expected that the levels in the Shannon will continue to rise over the next few days adding to the problems. This is an ongoing emergency and while everything that can be done is being done I expect conditions in certain areas to get worse before they get better,” said Mr Cowen.

Defence Minister Willie O’Dea said the ESB had no choice but to raise water levels by about 6cm as heavy rain continued to lash the western seaboard. “If the dam were to collapse that would be potentially catastrophic, so to prevent a greater danger, they [ESB] are doing the minimum they have to do. As the result of what they do, the water level in the lower Shannon will rise by about three inches.”

Around 100 families have so far been evacuated in the lower Shannon basin, and 600 nationally, due to the flooding.

The defence forces had 182 personnel and 30 vehicles working with emergency teams in Cork, Ennis, Limerick, Gort, Ballinasloe, Athlone and Athy. “Army personnel continue to provide manpower and mobility in the affected areas with trucks and sandbags to business people and home owners,” said a spokesperson.