Government to help businesses affected by Cork floods

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The Taoiseach has said that the Government will ensure that support is provided to businesses affected by the floods in Cork.

Around 100 buildings and dozens of parked cars have been damaged by the floods in Cork city center, with damage estimated at millions of euros.

Significant flooding has also been reported in the county following this morning’s high tide.

The floodwater has started to recede, but many streets in Cork City had up to a meter of water.

While flood warnings had been issued in advance, the rate at which the waters rose appeared to have taken many people by surprise.

The affected streets are South Mall, Oliver Plunkett Street, Malboro Street, Princes Street, Pembroke Street and extend to Patrick Street.

Government ministers agreed in Cabinet that support will be provided to those affected and the Taoiseach encouraged business owners to apply for such funds.

“This latest flood event is deeply distressing for business owners in the city. This is a critical time for merchants, and they are now facing another cleanup operation after the flooding this morning,” said Taoiseach Micheál Martin.

“All necessary supports will be available to those affected by the floods this morning. We will ensure that these schemes are activated without delay,” he added.

Martin said the floods were further evidence of the need to advance flood defense works in Cork City.

The Cork City Council Director of Services has said that he is very pleased that many business owners have been notified well in advance through press releases, social media updates and WhatsApp messages.

David Joyce told RTÉ’s Today with Claire Byrne that the vast majority of the facilities had their flood defenses and those defenses were working.

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“Anyone who failed to put up flood defenses and ignored city council warnings would have been harmed this morning,” he said.

Joyce said the water running through South Mall and Oliver Plunkett Street was 12 to 16 inches high and would have flowed through people’s front doors if they hadn’t protected their facilities.

He said the Cork City Council is very happy that there is no flooding tonight or tomorrow morning. He added that the roads are mostly dry, but vacuum trucks are used.

The minister responsible for the Office of Public Works, Patrick O’Donovan, will visit the city later that day.

There are also reports of flooding in Passage West and Monkstown, and the town of Bantry is said to be impassable due to the tides.

A senior engineer with the Office of Public Works, Ezra McMenamim, told RTÉ News that the damage has not been as extensive as the last major flooding in the city in 2014.

However, he said that water levels had come within 10 centimeters of causing extensive flood damage throughout the city center.

The Cork Chamber of Commerce, the Cork Business Association, businessmen and traders have called for work to be done without delay on a flood defense project.

An Bord Pleanála granted permission for work on part of that project to begin on Morrison Island in June, but Save Cork City, the main opponents of the city’s € 150 million flood defense project, have requested a judicial review of that decision.

Elsewhere, the Waterford train station has closed to passengers due to flooding.

Plunkett Station, which is located along the Suir River, was forced to close its doors around 9 a.m. after flooding engulfed the train tracks.

There is a yellow status warning for rain across the country until 3 pm Met Éireann said up to 50mm of rain can fall.

There is also a Status Yellow wind advisory for Cork, Kerry, Wexford and Waterford with gusts of up to 100 km / h possible and exceptionally high tides combined with strong overland winds will bring a high risk of coastal flooding.

There was also a yellow rain warning in Northern Ireland until 3am. The UK Met Office said heavy rains can cause flooding and travel disruptions.



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