Floods: Works on anti-flood system to start by June

The minister of state in charge of the Office of Public Works, Simon Harris, said he could understand why people living in two Co Cork towns would treat promises over flood prevention works “with a healthy degree of scepticism”.

Mr Harris spoke with householders and business-owners in Bandon and Skibbereen — affected yet again by flooding — to outline to them a timescale for the flood-prevention works.

Mr Harris faced a barrage of questions about the delays to both schemes, especially in Bandon, which suffered more than any Co Cork town in the past fortnight.