Deputy Richrad O’Donoghue with Mandy and Oliver Manning and Catherine O’Donnel at one of the homes at Toberne, Kilmallock affected by the flooding and where sand bags had to be used for protection.
Limerick Independent T.D. Richard O’Donoghue TD this week thanked the fast action by the Fire Service and Limerick City and County workers who worked all of Monday night to save people’s homes in the Kilmallock area.
“It was devasting to walk through people’s houses flooded in the area due to continuous rain on Monday 17th August”. People in Kilmallock and surrounding areas have raised concerns over the past 15-20 years of potential flooding due to the lack of maintenance and pipe infrastructure. For years, the council has had an embargo on employing people for such maintenance.
Richard O’Donoghue TD walked through houses on Tuesday that were damaged due to flooding because of the lack of basic maintenance not done for the past number of years.
The Deputy said that the river in Kilmallock was dredged 15 years ago to prevent such flooding and nothing has been done since then. He is calling for a full review of the water drains inlets and outlets, rivers and large drains that surround the Kilmallock area. Richard is also calling on Limerick City and County Council and Government to acknowledge that they are responsible for this catastrophe.
“All costs associated with this episode needs to be borne by local government and the OPW,” he insisted. “Should residents that are not in a flood plain claim off their insurance, they should not be penalised by not getting further insurance,” he added.
Deputy O’Donoghue is asking the people of County Limerick to contact their council offices and the departments and put on record their concerns of flooding issues in their areas. Put it on either email or hard copy and make it a public record.