Homeowners in Co Cork whose properties were destroyed in Storm Babet almost two years ago have called on the county council to speed up the provision of flood protection measures.
They want greater urgency to avoid a repeat of the estimated €200 million of damage caused by the storm in mid-October 2023.
As many as 600 homes and 300 businesses were inundated in Midleton, Co Cork, and nearby villages such as Castlemartyr, Killeagh, Mogeely, Rathcormac and Whitegate.
Flood victims mounted a protest at Cork County Hall on Monday over the delays in addressing the problem.
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Mona Stromsoe, of the Midleton and East Cork Flood Protection Group, said people, many of whom can no longer get flood insurance, were fearful of a repeat of Storm Babet when properties were flooded to depths of a metre after an entire winter’s rain, 126mm, fell over 36 hours.
“We just feel over the last two years very little has been done. Cork County Council launched an Individual Property Protection (IPP) scheme in October 2024 ... where people could get funding to help them putting up flood protection barriers on the doors,” she said.
“But since then only 334 of the 2,500 flood barriers that are needed have been delivered – some people need two or three barriers and have only got one while others are still waiting for any IPP at all. And even the ones that have been delivered, some are not fit for purpose.
“They are all expandable type barriers where you jack them into place, but they are only two-and-a-half-feet high and in some cases people’s home were flooded to depths of 4ft or more, so we want Cork County Council to address this as a matter of urgency before winter comes.”
Midleton woman Emma Clohessy said her 90-year-old mother-in-law, Anne Clohessy, had to move out of her home on the Mill Road, fearing a repeat of Storm Babet when she had to be moved upstairs as waters came halfway up her stairs.
“Luckily there was somebody in the house who was able to get Anne to the next floor – the flood wrecked the house, and we ended up having to move her out of the house. but every time the rain comes there is panic because people have a memory of what happened that day,” she said.
Adrienne Sheehan, from Woodlands in the town, revealed she had a similar experience, sitting on her stairs watching the flood waters rise in her home for five hours before a neighbour arrived with a tractor to rescue her and take her to safety.
Catherine Power, from Castlemartyr, expressed frustration at the lack of any apparent progress being made in delivering the major flood relief scheme promised for Castlemartyr and nearby Mogeely, which were badly hit when the Kiltha river burst its banks.
“The council has done some work taking trees and other debris out of the river and cutting back hanging branches, but to us that’s maintenance work. And the only reason it’s been described to us as a capital project is because it hasn’t been done in years,” Ms Power said.
Vivienne Jeffers, from Mogeely, whose house was flooded to almost half a metre, similarly criticised the lack of urgency being shown by public bodies such as the Office of Public Works (OPW) and Cork County Council in progressing flood relief schemes.
“We met Minister Kevin ‘Boxer’ Moran who has responsibility for the OPW last month, but so far only €116,000 has been allocated for flood relief survey work for Mogeely and Castlemartyr where near 70 houses were flooded. It’s taking too long and we are dreading another winter.”
Mr Moran promised during his visit to east Cork last month to speed up the roll-out of the €5.8 million IPP scheme to homeowners, telling The Irish Examiner: “As Minister, I have their back and I’m here to work with them.”
Cork County Council has been contacted for comment.
