Danny Healy-Rae (Kerry, Independent) | Oireachtas source

I am glad to have the opportunity to raise the matter of the clearing of the Flesk river in the parish of Killarney. The river needs to be cleaned from Gortahoosh bridge through Curreal and Glenflesk village up as far as Loo Bridge against Clonkeen. This stretch of the river is almost totally blocked with trees, silt and gravel which in the past nine or ten years has caused many houses in the catchment area to be flooded several times. Up to 35 homes in the area of Glenflesk are under threat or affected in one way or another. The houses have been flooded or people cannot get into them. In the last couple of days one eye of the bridge at Glenflesk has been blocked by a fallen tree. There have been many deputations led by me to the area committee meeting in Killarney and they have been supported by all of the area councillors. My daughter Maura led a deputation last May, a meeting I also attended and at which I was a spokesperson. People are very agitated and upset that the river has not been cleared. In the early 1980s Jackie Healy-Rae brought locals in a deputation to meet Charles Haughey at the Gleneagle Hotel and the river was cleared at the time. There were few problems for 25 or 27 years, up until nine or ten years ago. I thank the Minister of State, Deputy Kevin Boxer Moran, for coming to County Kerry last year when he saw for himself the problems in Glenflesk and other places in the county. He gave an assurance to the elected Members in the Chamber that he would provide funding once Kerry County Council had made an application for it. Last April the council applied for funding to clear half of the river. That is why we had to have a second deputation to get agreement that the other half of the river would also be cleaned. A total of €168,000 is needed to clear the river from Gortahoosh bridge to Curreal bridge. Rivers - the Flesk is no different - need to be cleared and maintained all of the time. However, in the past 20 years landowners have not been able to touch any river because if they do, they will lose their farm payments. This rule of cross-compliance has to be adhered to. That is why the river is so bad again and affecting so many. Houses cannot be lifted, but roads can. The N22 was raised because it was being flooded. However, even though it has already been raised by 10 ft, it is still being flooded to a height of 3 ft. The river needs to be cleared. That is what we are asking the Government to do. There is a need for ambulances to be able access hospitals and people to access everything else.

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