Newport residents may sue Council over flooding

Newport residents considering legal action over flooding


Anton McNulty

RESIDENTS in Newport affected by flooding in the town are considering taking a court injunction against the Council to spend allocated money to solve the problem.
Last Thursday a number of buildings along the George’s Street area of the town suffered flood damage following heavy rain during the day. A number of homes were damaged and cars parked in the Newport Hotel carpark were submerged in water. Pumping machines had to be used on Sunday evening to ensure water levels did not continue to rise.
The flooding along George’s Street and other parts of the town is an ongoing problem and the Office of Public Works has allocated €180,000 to Mayo County Council to solve the problem. However Mayo County Council estimate it will cost up to €600,000 to solve the problem and will not spend the OPW money if there is a chance of flooding occurring in the future.
Following last week’s flooding residents in Newport are considering taking an injunction against the Council forcing it to spend the money. George Street resident, Martin Corcoran whose business was flooded last Thursday told The Mayo News that residents believe installing larger pipes to collect the water will help solve the problem and they were willing to go to court to get the work done.
“Residents are getting together and thinking of bringing a court injunction against the Council to get something done with the drain. They have to do something because we are fed up with what is happening and at this stage we cannot depend on the Council.
“We have to get pumps at our own expense to stop the water coming into houses, but why should I pay when the Council can do the job? We are serious about this injunction and it is the first time the residents have talked about it. Look what happened with Sinn Féin in Donegeal, they brought the government to court and got their injunction. If this happened in Westport, there would be uproar and we are not standing for it anymore,” he said.
Speaking to The Mayo News, Mr Joe Beirne, Director of Services with the Council said the Council is reluctant to carry out work in Newport if there is a chance of flooding reoccurring. He said the Council would listen to what the residents and councillors have to say but there was no easy way around the problem.
“We are a little bit reluctant to spend €180,000 and have the problem reoccur in a few months time. That would be of no benefit to anyone. The OPW carried out a cost-benefit analysis of the problem and put it at around €200,000. We put forward our estimation but that was their decision and if we were to spend the money we would have to find money from other resources we don’t have. We will look at any logical alternative put forward by the councillors or the residents but there is no easy way around it,” he said.
Former Newport councillor Frank Chambers said the people of Newport were totally frustrated with the Council’s inaction and were afraid the money from the OPW will be withdrawn. He said he received a letter from Minister Martin Mansergh who is responsible for the OPW which stated that they ‘did not consider the scheme prepared by consultants engaged by the Council to be cost beneficial’ and would not provide the funding for it.
“All the Council have to do is do a job which will alleviate the problem but they won’t do it. I am totally frustrated and upset over this. This is all the Council’s doing and if this problem was in Westport it would have been done and dusted long ago,” he said.
Cllr Michael Holmes said it was his personal view that the cost and the scheme estimated by the Council was ‘outlandish’ and said they should spend the OPW money to replace the new drain.
”If they spent the €180,000 I believe the problem will be alleviated in Newport. This problem will not go away until they take the bull by the horns. It is costing the Council a lot of money at the moment on the fire brigade and hiring pumps and the money should be used because it is unfair on people living there.”
Cllr MicheΡl McNamara said it was obvious that there was a problem with the drain and the size of the gully and if the money is there it should be spent.
“The drain should be dug out and bigger pipes should be put in. It would go a long way in solving the problem. If there is money there we can’t just stand around and do nothing. The people living there should not have to put up with it and I want to see it spent sooner rather than later,” he said.