Co Galway will not have to endure the flooding it suffered last winter if the recommendations for flood prevention in a new report are followed, funded, and implemented.
This is the view of the Labour Party president and Galway West TD Michael D Higgins. Dep Higgins was reacting to the report of the Joint Oireachtas Committee on Environment Heritage and Local Government on Management of Severe Weather Conditions.
The report has made recommendations on flood prevention measures for areas, such as in Co Galway, which are particularly at risk. The report also calls for the approval and funding of all urgent minor flood relief measures as identified by the local authorities.
Dep Higgins is calling on the Government to “fund and resource” the report’s recommendations “without delay”.
“There are important lessons to be learned from the impact of the flooding last November,” he said. “If this report is properly implemented it will help reduce the risk from flooding into the future.”
The report recommends that local authorities such as the Galway County Council prepare local emergency plans based on the experiences of last winter’s flooding. It also calls for proper researching and funding of flood risk management measures.
The Department of the Environment and the Office of Public Works are urged to ensure urban water, waste water, and draining schemes supported under the Water Services Investment Programme are planned and prioritised with flood risk management considerations fully assessed.
It calls for the OPW’s funding for flood risk management be “substantially and strategically increased” and also that the OPW should approve and fund all urgent minor flood relief measures.
