Irish Examiner view: Enniscorthy locals might note slow response in Midleton

People in Midleton have been agitating for years for proper flood protection measures

Repairs underway at the Dublin to Rosslare train bridge across the Slaney at Enniscorthy, Co Wexford, after the river burst its banks. Picure: Eamonn Farrell/RollingNews.ie

Many areas of the eastern half of the country have been badly affected by Storm Chandra, with images of flooding in parts of Dublin, Wexford, and Wicklow circulating widely.

Readers may have seen the extent of flooding in Enniscorthy in particular, where the town was inundated when the River Slaney burst its banks.

Met Éireann was still warning people to be vigilant yesterday given the possibility of more rain later this week, which may combine with saturated lands and high river levels in some areas to cause even more flooding.

The events of recent days raise some pertinent questions about how we deal with these extreme weather events.

There has been a long-running discussion about Met Éireann’s warning system, with some observers complaining that the forecasting body tends to overstate the seriousness of weather events when issuing red and yellow warnings.

However, flooding on the scale seen in the eastern side of the country in recent days raises a more specific issue: The need for detailed flood warnings. If we are to have more storms such as Chandra hitting the country, then a detailed flood warning system will become absolutely necessary.

Another issue to bear in mind even as the flood waters remain in some places is the State’s response to those who have borne the brunt of the flooding. The Taoiseach said this week that the Department of Social Protection will assist households affected by flooding and provide support, while the business and community support scheme would also be activated.

This is a welcome response, but residents in areas such as East Cork — and Midleton in particular — might have a more jaundiced opinion. People there have been agitating for years for proper flood protection measures to be introduced in their area. Huge damage was done by flooding when Storm Babet swept through East Cork in 2023, and prominent politicians visited to reassure locals — but progress since has been slow.

Last week, Cork County Council stated it would apply to An Coimisiún Pleanála in September for permission to proceed with plans for a €56m flood prevention project in Midleton, and that entire process may take up to 18 months.

The people of Enniscorthy may want to take note.

Long road back to normality

Readers are no doubt familiar with the shocking situation in Minneapolis in the US, where there appears to be a complete breakdown in law and order.

Thousands of Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agents are roaming the city’s streets, detaining hundreds of residents. Yesterday, Ecuador’s foreign ministry made a formal diplomatic protest to the US that an ICE agent tried to enter its consulate in the city without permission this week. US representative Ilhan Omar was attacked at a public meeting in the city on Tuesday when a man appeared to spray her with liquid.

However, the killing of two US citizens by ICE agents has been the ultimate expression of this lawlessness.

Renee Good was shot dead in her car two weeks ago. Last weekend, Alex Pretti was killed by ICE agents.

It has been notable that, in the discussion, of Pretti’s killing, it has emerged that he had a legal permit to carry a gun. US president Donald Trump, predictably, weighed in to say: “You can’t walk in with guns. You just can’t. You can’t walk in with guns, you can’t do that. But it’s a very unfortunate incident.”

However, there has been no shortage of observers pointing out that Mr Trump had a very different view of people “walking in with guns” when armed supporters of his stormed the US Capitol on January 6, 2020.

Though hundreds were injured and several people killed that day, Mr Trump went on to pardon many of those convicted of serious offences related to the attack.

The president’s comments on guns also drew criticism from an unlikely source — the National Rifle Association (NRA). The powerful gun lobby has long supported Mr Trump but, in this case, asserted one of its core beliefs in defiance of his statement, that US citizens are entitled to bear arms. That contretemps points to an essential truth of the second Trump administration: The expressions of contradiction, dishonesty, and blame which attend almost every noteworthy event. It will be a long road back to normality.

News of Fota's new arrivals welcome

After a testing few months, the encouraging news from Fota Wildlife Park in recent days has been particularly welcome.

The park announced the birth of two endangered cheetah cubs, which were born on November 24 at the facility in East Cork. The northern cheetah cubs — one male, one female — are the offspring of mother Florence and father Nawab.

The northern Cheetah is listed as endangered by the International Union for Conservation of Nature, with approximately 600 remaining in the wild. A spokesperson for Fota Wildlife Park said the arrival of the two cubs represented a significant contribution to the European endangered breeding programme.

The news is a boost to Fota after an enforced 10-week closure last year due to an outbreak of bird flu, during which staff had to humanely euthanise more than 73 birds. The park reopened to the public late in December. Its popularity remains undimmed, recording a 50% increase in visitor numbers following the reopening in comparison with the same period last year.

The fact that visitors can now admire two new cheetah cubs is an added bonus.

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