NORTHSIDE politicians have slammed the official
response to last week’s flooding that left local homes devastated for the third
time in the past three years.
The downpour on Monday, October 24, caused chaos
throughout the city with traffic brought to a standstill and countless homes
suffering from flooding.
Dublin North West TD, Dessie Ellis (SF), who was on
hand to help out with the rescue efforts, said he was
“very annoyed
? with the
response to the flooding.
“I was out trying to do what I could and I was
absolutely drenched,
? he said.
“The water was up to five foot high on the
Rathoath Road and cars were submerged.
“At one point I had to crawl along the bank at the
side of the road to tell one woman to get out of her car as the water was
almost up to the window and she wasn’t moving.
“There was quite a bit of damage in the same areas
affected by the last flooding. The apartments at Tolka Vale were hit again and
there were homes flooded at Ballygall Crescent and Fairways estate.
?
Deputy Ellis said calls were made well in advance to
Dublin City Council to warn them of the impending floods and he criticised the
local authority’s response to the disaster.
“The emergency plan wasn’t implemented until it was
too late,
? he said.
“There was no advance preparation, no sandbags and I
believe some of the machinery that could have helped was locked up in depots.
“It was the same areas that were hit as the last time
and a lot of the works that were called for then haven’t been carried out. It
will leave some householders with insurance problems. How can they reassure
insurance companies that action has been taken to reduce the risk of it
happening again if the work hasn’t been carried out?
?
Deputy Ellis said a request to the Government for
emergency funding for homes affected by the floods has been met with a negative
response but added he would keep pressing for financial assistance to be made
available.
Dublin Central Labour TD Joe Costello also slammed
Dublin City Council’s emergency response in Cabra, Ballybough and North Strand.
“Flooding is not a new phenomenon,
? he said.
“The city
engineers are aware that the city drainage system is not equipped to deal with
a surge and this issue needs to be dealt with as a matter of urgency.
“While I accept that some work has been done which has
provided some mitigation, it is not acceptable that with five serious floods
occurring in the last decade, the issue has not been addressed comprehensively.
“It is not good enough that there is not a sufficient
response to deal with the issue when it occurs. Dublin, a modern capital city,
needs to be able to deal with such basic challenges.
?
Cllr
Damien Farrell (Ind) said the same homes located on Clanmoyle Road,
Donnycarney, were flooded once again in last week’s deluge despite locals
raising the issue with the council in the past.
“It
is no exaggeration to say that there has been even more destruction this year,
?
Cllr Farrell said.
“The water was even higher and was climbing the first few
stairs in many of the houses. Again, as in other years, vehicles were moved by
the floodwater and destroyed.
“I
was inside about six or seven houses and the ground floor of each of them,
including carpets and furniture, were absolutely wiped out.
?
Cllr
Farrell claimed that the emergency response provided on behalf of Dublin City
Council took almost six hours to reach locals, despite residents requesting
help throughout the day.
“I
am so annoyed that these people have been so let down,
? he added.
“They were
promised that money was not an issue and that a first class job would be
done. If you were down there you would
honestly believe not one cent of Dublin City Council money had been spent on
any flood defence system at all.
?
In
Artane, one angry resident, Joe Kelly, said he believed the serious flooding
that affected the Ardlea Road area occurred due to Dublin City Council’s
failure to carry out routine drainage clearing.
“The
damage could have been prevented if the drains where cleared,
? he claimed.
“I
lifted the storm shore lids on eight of the shores to let the water subside but
only three of them took water down.
?
Cllr
Pat Crimmins (FG) said a number of local businesses in Raheny were also badly
affected by the floods. He also believes the problem could have been prevented.
“Businesses
in Raheny have been badly affected by something that Dublin City Council could
have prevented,
? he said.
“The Santry River which flows through Raheny was
unable to exit the pipes because they were clogged. This resulted in water
coming out onto the street and destroying a newly opened café and a lot of
other businesses.
?
Cllr
Larry O’Toole (SF) made a similar point when referring to the experience of
residents of Riverside Park in Clonshaugh who experienced severe flooding to
their homes.
After
visiting the area and speaking to some of the residents, Cllr O’Toole said:
“I
acknowledge that the rainfall was exceptional, but there is an ongoing problem
with flooding at this location.
?
He added:
“I will be again raising this issue with the
council and the Department of the Environment. It is not good enough for these
residents to have to endure this ordeal every year.
?
It’s estimated that 80ml of rain fell during last
week’s downpour – the equivalent of one month’s average rainfall in just half a
day.
Dublin City Council said its major emergency plan had
been activated at 8pm and that the flooding had been caused by
“an
unprecedented and intense level of rainfall
? that lasted from early in the
afternoon to late that night.
A council spokesperson said that a review of the
response will be carried out in due course.
“The inter-agency coordination dealt with the response
and rescue, which moved into the recovery and cleanup phase,
? the spokesperson
said.
“A great deal of activity will continue in the recovery
phase by each of the principal response agencies to deal specifically with
issues that fall within their own areas of expertise and responsibility.
“Once the recovery phase has been concluded, a review
will take place on the inter-agency coordination aspects of the response. This
review will involve all services that took part in the response.
?
Meanwhile, the Irish Red Cross launched an
‘Irish
Floods’ appeal to aid those who were affected by the flooding last week.
Donal Forde, Secretary General, said they had been
receiving calls from members of the public who were moved by the extent of the
damage caused to the homes of their neighbours.
“With everyone we speak to there is a clear sense of
shock – no one expects this to happen to them,
? he said.
“Donations received will be used to support those
whose homes have been damaged by flood water caused by Monday’s record rainfall.
We will work closely with the Community Welfare Service within the Department
of Social Protection to identify those most in need of our assistance.
?
Anyone wishing to donate to the Irish Red Cross
‘Irish
Floods’ appeal can do so online at www.redcross.ie or by phone on 1850507070;
or by cheque made out to
‘Irish Red Cross’ and marked
‘Irish Floods’ and sent
to Irish Red Cross, 16 Merrion Square, Dublin 2.