Flooding crisis worsened by government recruitment embargo resulting in lack of 'on-the-ground-staff'

Recent flooding and subsequent damage could have been lessened in Co Cork if a government recruitment embargo had not resulted in a lack of ‘on-the-ground council staff’ being deployed during Storm Frank.

The county council had 1,258 outdoor staff in 2008, but it now engaged 878, said Sinn Féin councillor Donnchadh Ó Laoghaire.

Scores of staff who came to work voluntarily at the height of the storm were praised yesterday. However, several councillors said if there had been more outdoor employees, they would have been able to open roadside drainage channels and help relieve flooding and damage to roads.