Cork flood defence plan ready by year’s end

A major flood defence plan for Cork City, which will include proposals to install 1m-high barriers on the quay walls, will be ready before the end of the year.

The long-awaited scheme, which has been worked on since the disastrous 2009 flood, should be shovel-ready by 2015, the minister with responsibility for flood protection, Brian Hayes, confirmed yesterday.

The news emerged as Mr Hayes, who has responsibility for the Office of Public Works, admitted the State will have to ramp up its spending on flood defences to give Ireland the same level of protection as other EU countries.