No specifics given on financial supports

WEST Cork communities devastated by flooding last weekend have been reassured by a Minister of State that the necessary financial resources will be given to Cork County Council as ‘quickly and efficiently as possible.’

However, he would not give a figure on how much money will be forthcoming.

The remarks were made by the Minister of State at the Office of Public Works (with responsibility for flood relief), Patrick O’Donovan, as he met with residents and local officials in affected areas, including Rosscarbery, Connonagh and Dunmanway on Tuesday morning.

‘Having met with Tim Lucey of Cork County Council and OPW officials they have agreed to undertake a series of measures in the short term with a view to putting forward longer term proposals,’ he said.

‘I’m down here to get a understanding of what maybe is required in terms of government response and what can be more locally arrived at by way of supports from Cork County Council.’

Speaking to The Southern Star Minister O’Donovan – whose brother runs O’Donovan’s Bar in Bandon which has been hit by flooding  three times, while his sister-in-law’s shop there has also been flooded – said he’s making it very clear that he’s promising nothing.

‘... Other than my full support in terms of making sure that those areas at the greatest level of risk and particularly those are that have seen the greatest level of flooding are pushed along as quickly as possible.

‘We meet a lot of resistance and sometimes that doesn’t comes from people not living in the area and that’s a major problem when trying to explain to people why their communities are being flooded and we’re being wound up in protracted systems where we are being frustrated and the local communities are being frustrated.’

Minister O’Donovan met with residents in Rosscarbery whose homes were flooded as well as meeting residents in Chapel Street in Dunmanway.