Cork city flood plans dismissed as ‘propaganda’

Campaigners opposed to the OPW’s €140m flood defence plan for Cork have dismissed its latest design proposals as “propaganda”.

The Save Cork City (SCC) group said no matter how many images of new parks, plazas, or riverside walkways the OPW produces, its overall approach to minimising flood risk along the river Lee is “fundamentally flawed”.

“Nothing has changed in their approach and these images are just the latest part of a PR campaign. It’s just propaganda to keep this train going,” said SCC spokesman John Hegarty.

This remains a drainage scheme. Their approach is based on outdated methodologies that have been recognised as such across Europe. We seem to be the last country to accept that. We stand over our view that this scheme would cause untold economic damage to the city in the long term.

Mr Hegarty was reacting to the publication by the OPW of its latest design proposals for what would be the largest single investment in flood defences in the history of the State.

The OPW project has faced constant criticism from SCC, which has branded it a “walls scheme” that would destroy the city’s heritage. It has called repeatedly for a tidal barrier to be built in the lower harbour.

But the OPW said its overall approach to managing flood risk in Cork “cannot deviate from the comprehensive scientific and empirical analysis” on which the current scheme is based.

It said the latest designs show how the approach to flood defence in several areas has been amended following an analysis of feedback received during the public consultation phases on the scheme.

It said the key elements of the overall scheme include a state-of-the-art flood forecasting system which, together with revised operating procedures to regulate Inniscarra and Carrigadrohid dams, will significantly reduce the peak flow of water reaching the city at times of flood.

It involves the creation of washlands to the west of the city, an enhanced early flood warning system, diversion of waters from the south channel into the north channel at times of flood risk via a flow diversion gate to the rear of the Kingsley Hotel and low-level quayside defences, and an insistence that most quayside parapets will be knee-height.

The OPW said it hopes the new images will “assuage genuine misunderstanding” about the project and “challenge significant misrepresentation of it” as well.

It also said the scheme has been benchmarked against best international practice and has involved extensive, peer-reviewed studies and input by engineers, hydrologists, hydraulic experts, ecologists, archaeologists, architectural historians, landscape and conservation architects, and hydrogeologists.

The scheme, which extends over 15km from west of Ballincollig to the eastern edge of Cork city centre, will provide flood protection for 900 homes and 1,200 business.