Call for coastal defences to be built after storms

New coastal defences will have to be erected in Co Cork and existing ones strengthened if a repeat of the damage inflicted by the storms of early January are to be avoided.

In the meantime, Cork County Council is seeking more than €3.5m in emergency funding from the Department of Environment to repair the latest storm damage, which was most severe on the West Cork peninsulas and the islands.

Between Dec 23 and Jan 6 the council dealt with 436 calls related to road damage, along with flooding issues, distribution of sandbags, erection of flood barriers and fallen trees. These call-outs alone cost the council an estimated €400,000.