Ring 'sick and tired' of inaction on Crossmolina flood relief
Promised flood relief scheme yet to be delivered since flooding in 2015
MAYO TD Michael Ring has said he is 'sick and tired' of the inaction on a flood relief scheme for Crossmolina.
The village, which flooded twice in 2015 when the River Deel burst its banks, had been promised a flood relief scheme which is currently going through the planning process.
Speaking in the Dáil today (Tuesday), Deputy Ring said he was 'very annoyed at the lack of progress on Crossmolina (River Deel) Flood Relief Scheme.
In reply, Minister for Public Expenditure, National Development Plan Delivery and Reform, Pascal Donohoe TD, said that consultants have been engaged to conduct environmental assessments as required by EU Directives 2011/92 and 2014/52.
"On the basis of advice received, I have sought supplementary information from the Office of Public Works as provided for under Section 7(4)(b) of the European Union (Environmental Impact Assessment) (Arterial Drainage) Regulations 2019 in order to reach a full, reasoned conclusion on the environmental impacts of the scheme," said Mr Donohoe.
Deputy Ring stated stated that the need for a flood relief scheme in Crossmolina was 'critical', citing previous flooding incidents in 2015.
"If Crossmolina gets flooded again, I will be holding the OPW and the Department of Public Expenditure fully responsible as this has been ongoing for many years. The flooding in 2015, which occurred twice, resulted in three main streets in Crossmolina being flooded, with numerous properties damaged in the floods of December 2015," he said.
"The then Minister of State Kevin Boxer Moran visited Crossmolina. We also had visits by more Ministers, in fact, with all the visiting ministers in Crossmolina, if they had all brought a shovel with them, the work would be done now."
"I am sick and tired of Ministers visiting Crossmolina and nothing happening. Here we are into another winter now, and if Crossmolina gets flooded, I will be holding both the OPW and the Department of Public Expenditure responsible for it."
"I raised this in the Parliamentary Party meeting last week with the two Ministers responsible and I will be contacting the Minister for Finance Michael McGrath on this as well," he concluded.