Tens of thousands of homes and businesses have been advised to check their risk of being flooded this winter and to prepare a personal safety plan.
Minister for State with responsibility for the Office of Public Works (OPW) Kieran O’Donnell said the Government had committed to spend €1.3 billion on flood relief schemes by 2030. He said 55 schemes had been completed but about 100 remained in the development or construction stage.
He named places including Bantry and Midleton in Co Cork, the Cork City drainage scheme, as well as Kings Island in Co Limerick, which he said remained at risk until flood relief schemes were completed.
Mr O’Donnell advised householders and businesses to consult the OPW’s site floodinfo.ie to check the status of relief schemes locally.
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Floodinfo.ie lists schemes in every county and covers flood relief in large population centres including the Camac river area in Dublin, Avoca river area in Arklow Co Wicklow, Ballybofey in Co Donegal, Ballinasloe in Co Galway and Ballina, Co Mayo.
Mr O’Donnelll said interim, individual household measures were being established in places such as Midleton and Blarney where the full flood relief schemes were not complete. The OPW was also examining ways of delaying or preventing water runoff from hills in these areas, he said. The Office of Public Works drainage scheme would provide outfall for 260,000 hectares of agricultural lands.
Mr O’Donnell was speaking at the launch of the Be Winter Ready campaign by the Government Task Force on Emergency Planning.
The campaign also covers mental health awareness, farm safety, road safety and weather warnings. Also speaking at the launch of the campaign in the National Emergency Co-ordination Centre Minister of State for Climate James Lawless said he hoped households and businesses would use the campaign “as a source of advice on how you can prepare yourself for the winter months ahead”.
He said booklets and leaflets which would be available from public libraries offered advice and contacts on issues from minding mental health, to the explanation of weather warnings, farm machinery and electrics.
“Core to this campaign is the message to be prepared, stay safe, and know where to find help if you need it,” he said.
Mr Lawless also said he expected proposals on the reform of the Road Safety Authority to be brought to the Cabinet “either this week or next”.
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