Pearse Doherty (Donegal, Sinn Fein) | Oireachtas source

Donegal town needs to be moved into phase 1. It is located in the mouth of the estuary where the River Eske meets the Atlantic Ocean at Donegal Bay. It is an absolutely breathtaking place but, unfortunately, is susceptible to all types of flooding. In the past we have seen flooding from rivers overtopping, flash flooding and flooding from high tides and storm surges. There have been a number of devastating events in Donegal town since 2019, in the aftermath of Storm Abigail and Storm Desmond in the winter of 2015 as well as Storm Lorenzo in 2019, and only for the Trojan work of council staff during Storm Barra at the end of 2021 we could have seen further devastation. Donegal County Council has predicted that over 70 properties in the area, both residential and commercial, are at risk. Residents in Clarendon Drive, Brookfield and New Row live in fear of new downpours and storm surges. What is the timeframe for delivery of this project? The end of the programme is 2030 and these residents cannot wait, hoping that it will not rain or that the seas will not rise and that they will not be visited by this devastation again.

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