FF members ‘swamp’ flood relief event

WE had another example of the Government’s disdain for the electorate recently at the signing of the contracts for the second phase of the flood relief plan in Mallow.

There was a phalanx of Fianna Fáil members including junior minister Noel Ahern with all his flunkies, officials of the OPW and employees of Mallow Town Council and Cork County Council.

The public (whose money was being expended on this project as taxpayers) were not invited and, incredibly, there was no invitation either for Mallow town councillors or indeed the TD for Mallow, Seán Sherlock.

Instead, we had a photo opportunity for Noel Ahern who also waxed lyrically about how his brother Bertie was being subjected to a witch-hunt by the Mahon Tribunal.

So, we had a situation where a Government minister breezed into town, talked about everything except the flood relief plan and then hightailed it back to Dublin again.

If any person from the Blackwater valley asks me what does the second phase of the relief plan entail, I will have to tell them truthfully I have no idea.

It is time for the Government to stop these abuses of power. This is a vitally important issue for Mallow and its environs, as anyone who witnessed the recent floods in this area will attest. All we want is the relevant information disseminated in proper fashion.

Cllr David O’Callaghan

Davis Lane

Mallow

Co Cork