Independent inquiry not ruled out into floods

ENVIRONMENT Minister John Gormley has not ruled out an independent inquiry into the response to the torrential flooding and severe weather conditions that crippled the country in recent months.

Speaking at an Environment Committee meeting Mr Gormley said, however, any inquiry would depend on an Oireachtas Committee’s own investigations and recommendations, which are expected to be completed by the end of this month.

The Green Party leader also told TDs that any scrutiny of how authorities reacted to the massive flooding in places like Cork and Athlone needed to compare the response with other countries and suggested this was also true when it came to how state-authorities handled the huge snowfall and lethal icy conditions in January.