'Once in 200 years' flooding caused €5m worth of damage to Cork's roads

Up to 125mm (5ins) of rain fell in Rosscarbery on August 13 and a further 100mm two days later.

Heavy local storms with torrential rain caused severe flooding in Rosscarbery on August 13 with the main N71 road closed and side roads severely damaged with surfaces washed away. File picture: Andrew Harris.

Cork County Council engineers have estimated that more than €5m worth of damage was done to roads in the region during last month's heavy flooding.

The worst of the damage was done on the nights of August 13 and 15. Councillors want more resources to be put into clearing drains and culverts.

Padraig Barrett, the council's director of roads, told councillors that West Cork bore the brunt of the torrential rain which led to approximately €4m of the damage in the Bantry, Rosscarbery, Skibbereen and Dunmanway areas.

He said 62mm of rain fell in Dunmanway on August 15, with 40mm of that occurring in just one hour. Up to 125mm (5ins) fell in Rosscarbery on August 13 and a further 100mm two days later.

Fine Gael councillor Karen Coakley called on the local authority to employ and designate staff specifically to ensure drains and culverts are continually cleaned and maintained on a regular basis.

“This would make a significant difference during heavy rain and flooding,” she said. “It would also give the public more confidence. 

We need to go back to the old ways of maintaining and cleaning.

Independent councillor Ben Dalton-O'Sullivan said if proper drainage works were carried out it would save money in the long run while Fianna Fáil councillor Joe Carroll said many roads in West Cork were in “a shocking state” even before the flooding occurred.

He proposed that mobile units be set up to clear drains, culverts and the eyes of bridges, maintaining that most of last month's damage was exacerbated by not having drainage channels clear of debris.

“We're sending road tax every year to Dublin and only getting half of it back. We should demand much more,” he said.

Courtmacsherry-based Independent councillor Paul Hayes said climate change is bringing more frequent weather events and the council needs to do more now than ever in terms of maintaining drainage channels. He added that hundreds of outdoor staff who have retired in recent years hadn't been replaced.

Fianna Fáil councillor Ian Doyle said the budget for outdoor staff has to be increased, especially as winter approaches. “This is a matter of huge urgency. We need to get back to basics,” he said.

62mm of rain fell in Dunmanway on August 15, with 40mm of that occurring in just one hour. Picture: Cllr Deirdre Kelly

Independent councillor Declan Hurley, who lives in Dunmanway, said funding cuts made in recent years by successive governments to the council's roads maintenance budget are huge and it's estimated that it would take more than €500m to bring roads in the county up to a proper standard.

He said the council is totally under-resourced and should lobby government ministers for more money to employ outdoor roads staff and to significantly upgrade substandard roads.

Fianna Fáil councillor Seamus McGrath said “the chickens are coming home to roost” because of the lack of adequate outdoor staff and recent weather events have “to come as a wake-up call” which needs to be addressed.

He said while walking his children to school yesterday he saw “drain after drain blocked.” 

Mr Barrett said that no amount of drainage maintenance or manpower could have prevented the flooding as rainfall in places was so intensive and of a type that only happens every once in 200 years.