Cowen: No commitment on Cork flood defence

ANY spending to prevent further flooding in Cork will have be considered along with other public works priorities, Taoiseach Brian Cowen has said.

Despite local pressure for a commitment to provide the €100 million needed to build defence mechanisms, he said the issue would have to be assessed by the Office of Public Works.

The estimated cost of preventing tidal and river flooding emerged in the Lee Catchment and Flood Risk and Management Study (CFRAMS) but Minister of State Martin Mansergh said at its launch this week that finding the money would be difficult.