Sir, – Recent rainfall has resulted in flooding and devastation to homes, in some cases due to inadequate and inconsistent policy of clearing and readying storm drains and flood channels. However, an overlooked essential addition to this is the regular clearing of silt and growth in rivers and streams allowing floods to ultimately reach the sea.
It’s no exaggeration to state that environmental policies make it virtually impossible to undertake such maintenance at risk of fines for damaging habitats etc. It’s as if you never cleared the sinkhole or outlet point in your shower or bath and are then surprised when it brims over. After a dry month, we’ll be back to hose pipe bans and protecting every habitat other than those for humans. We must find a more balanced and co-ordinated approach that works for every species. – Yours, etc,
TOMÁS FINN,
Ballinasloe,
RM Block
Co Galway.
Sir, – The issue around Ireland’s flood defences is appalling (“Most ‘priority’ flood defences have still not entered planning after eight years”, News, February 14th).
It was reported that it could be 15 years before Enniscorthy gets this imbroglio sorted. It is very frustrating that we are still at design stage for flood defences in a country where it rains a lot and as our weather patterns become more volatile.
As I listen to many of our politicians speak about our recent floods, it seems all they were doing was highlighting the failure of successive governments on this issue. – Yours, etc,
JOHN O’BRIEN,
Clonmel,
Co Tipperary.
