Urgent Action Need On Flooding

8 September 2006

by Cllr Joe Costello

The Met Office has warned that there are significant dangers of flooding at the weekend and early next week. It is important that all precautions be taken to prevent flooding. Significantly to date the focus seems to be entirely on the south side of the City in the Ringsend area where there was serious flooding in 2002. It is quite proper that all necessary measures are taken to protect the residents and their homes in the Dublin 4 area. However, most of the flooding that has occurred in the City of Dublin in recent times has occurred on the North side. There was serious flooding in East Wall and the North Strand in 2001, and there was serious flooding in Tolka Road and Botanic Avenue and Millmount Avenue in 2002 Considerable work has been carried out by Dublin City Council and the OPW on the Tolka River and on the Royal Canal. There is still much work to be done, so there is a real possibility of flooding taking place. Therefore it is essential that the Local Authority, Dublin City Council, immediately begin the procedure of clearing all drains, gulleys and shores so that surface water cannot pool and aggravate the situation. Secondly, it is essential that the City Council put its emergency services on standby so that personnel, equipment and materials such as sandbags are available in each locality that may be at risk. Finally, it is time for all the stakeholders in Dublin’s Waterways namely, Dublin City Council, the OPW, Waterways Ireland and the Gardaí to agree a co-ordinated plan for any emergency flooding and to determine whether proposed new structures such as Boardwalks on the rivers and canals are appropriate or whether they could add to the problem.