Colm Burke (Cork North-Central, Fine Gael)
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I raise the issue of the Blackpool flood relief scheme. Blackpool has had 15 major floods since 1974. Three of them were in 2010, 2012 and 2013. It was decided in 2013 that a flood relief programme would be developed, and the submission was made in 2018 for the Minister for public expenditure to sign the statutory confirmation. The Minister gave the statutory confirmation. We are now into 2021, and then we had a judicial review. I know full well that the Minister had to deal with that judicial review. Unfortunately, it then went back to the drawing board again where further environmental impact studies were done. They were submitted to the Department of public expenditure. Unfortunately, as I understand it, by the time action was taken, the reports were out of date.

In 2021, the Minister signed off on this flood relief programme. We are now five years later and still have not approved the programme, even though judicial reviews have been submitted. This cannot go on. Blackpool is an old part of Cork city. Yes, there has been development there by Cork City Council and it has put in a lot of apartments and residential development, but the older houses there are at risk at all times. One man was trying to sell his business premises. The sale collapsed on three separate occasions because the people buying it could not get flood protection insurance. Therefore, the banks were not prepared to lend for it. A lot of houses need major refurbishment. It is an old part of the city. A lot of families live there, but there are also businesses that are extremely restricted as regards spending more money because they know they are at risk. If there is further flooding, they will be further damaged, which they will have to carry themselves. This is one case that needs to be prioritised.

We have an additional problem in Blackpool, in that a lot of housing is being built there now on the northern side of the city. As a result of that, there is increased water flow. In fairness to developers, they are doing everything possible to deal with that issue, but overall, you will have a greater water flow into the streams and rivers that flow into Blackpool and the River Bride that comes in and then continues on through an underground tunnel that carries it eventually into the River Lee. We are at risk there. Unless a decision is made about going forward, then the regeneration of Blackpool, which is urgently required, will not occur.

I am asking that priority be given to this project. We have had a lot of discussion about floods over the last two weeks. It is the number one item in the news at the moment because of the fact that heavy rainfall is expected in parts of the country.

Cork was lucky on this occasion in that we did not get heavy rainfall compared to other parts of the country, but our turn will come when that will happen. We will then have a major problem in Blackpool again. I ask that this issue be given priority.

Colm Burke (Cork North-Central, Fine Gael)
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I fully understand that there were over 1,000 submissions. At least 900 of those were in support of the flood relief programme proceeding. It is extremely important because these are residents who are living in Blackpool. They are third and fourth generation people who are living there and now find they are restricted in what they can do with their property. I ask that this issue now be prioritised. In one particular area in the eastern part of the country, the issue has been going on for 25 years. We have already seen about 15 floods in Blackpool since 1974. I do not want this issue to still be going on in five or ten years' time, with the same discussions happening after major flooding of the area, where property is damaged and people suffer further loss.

I fully accept that the Department has to go through procedures. There is the risk at all times of judicial review. I fully understand that but once all the t's are crossed and i's dotted, we should not delay in making a decision on this matter. Even if we go out to a tender process in the morning, it will still take time for work to commence. The best example is the Glanmire flood relief scheme in my constituency, where there were no objections. Substantial flooding occurred there in 2010 and 2012 but the work is almost completed there now, and a huge amount of additional work was done as well to make the place safe for both businesses and residents. That work has been done by the OPW, which has done a very good job there. The reason was there was no objection to the scheme and it was able to progress. Twelve years from a major flooding event, that scheme is now almost completed. It is important now we give priority to this Blackpool project.