One overall agency should be in charge of waterways, says Cork County Council boss

The council heard how the flooding of properties in Mitchelstown ironically saw many of them left without water for a number of days

Cork County Council heard that the River Awbeg is now at serious risk of overflowing. File picture

Cork County Council’s most senior official has said the Government should establish a single overall agency to look after the country's rivers to better reduce the risk of flooding.

Acting council chief executive Valerie O’Sullivan said there is currently a mix of too many agencies with differing controls of watercourses and it would be better if they were co-ordinated by one governing body.