Verona Murphy (Wexford, Independent) | Oireachtas source

I thank the Minister of State for coming in this morning. I know she has a very busy portfolio and this is not her domain. Like my colleagues, Deputies Cairns and Christopher O'Sullivan, I will take up the offer to meet the Minister of State, Deputy O'Donovan.

The Enniscorthy flood defence scheme is a project which has been kicked down the road far too many times in the past ten or 15 years. The minutes of a Wexford County Council meeting in June 2012 outline the plans put forward by the Office of Public Works. Two current Members of this House, the Minister of State at the Department of Justice, Deputy Browne, and Deputy Mythen, were present at the meeting, at which a representative from the OPW noted that Enniscorthy had major tidal issues; that the OPW could estimate the flood at Scarawalsh; that climate change would affect flooding in the town; that the removal of the Seamus Rafter Bridge and construction of a new bridge further downstream, as well as the introduction of glass walls, would be needed; and that the cost to the town if no scheme was put in place would be €66 million, whereas the scheme would cost between €25 million and €40 million.

Since then there have been many false dawns. Every time the river bursts its banks we hear the issue raised again, yet we still have no action. Enniscorthy has no flood defence. The only constants on the topic are local independent councillors Jackser Owens and John O'Rourke, both of whom have asked me to raise this issue. Anyone familiar with the town will know the problems associated with flooding and that many business and homes are located in places that are prone to flooding should the River Slaney burst its banks. There are obvious consequences for the owners from a general damage and disruption point of view, but also from an insurance point of view and for their peace of mind. However, most of them cannot get insurance on their properties.

The experts looking at all aspects of this project have decided that the glass wall system, the removal of the new bridge, deepening and widening of the river and the general improvement of the aesthetics at the quayside is the best plan. What we need to see now is action. The video overview of the plan is very impressive and will transform the quayside in Enniscorthy.

However, since the meeting of June 2012, there has been significant flooding in the town, particularly in 2015. There have been other minor incidents since, which have caused significant damage. A progress report was published about a month ago, on 5 November. It states the project was submitted for review in April 2021. The issue with that is that we have no word on who is reviewing it or how long the review will take. At the end of the day, there are 236 properties affected by the lack of a flood defence in Enniscorthy. It is a significant issue. Today, more than 12,000 people in the town are affected by a boil water notice. There is disarray. This has gone on for far too long. We were promised an answer by the end of 2021. We are three weeks from the end of 2021. When will the review of the scheme be completed and when will the scheme be signed off to go to construction?

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