Call for ESB role review due to ‘conflict of interest’

AN Oireachtas committee has called for full review of ESB’s role in the management of water levels on the rivers Lee and Shannon because of what it called a “conflict of interest”.

Environment committee chairman Sean Fleming said the rainfall on the River Lee last November, preceding the devastating floods, should not have caused the level of property damage downstream.

However, he said there was poor communication, a lack of clear leadership and a conflict between ESB’s desire to keep water levels high for power generation and local authorities who wanted to keep it low.