‘Flooding was not treated as an issue’

Legislation to speed up flood-defence projects will be implemented if necessary, the minister responsible for flooding has promised.

Independent Alliance TD Sean Canney has admitted that in the past flooding “wasn’t treated as being an issue” and said the current Government must now make up for years of inaction.

“I think the responsibility I have now is to make sure that projects happen as quickly as possible and in order to do that I have a three-or four-pronged approach,” said Mr Canney.