Parlon’s answers on flood protection do not reassure constituents in Dublin South East
Green Party Chairman and Dublin South East TD John Gormley, has said that answers given in a radio interview by Minister for State Tom Parlon on the question of flooding have done nothing to reassure people living in Dublin South East along the sea and the Dodder.
Speaking on Newstalk 106, Minister Parlon had said that people living in areas prone to flooding should not put down good carpet on the ground floor and should keep valuable items on the second floor of their houses. Mr Parlon had also added that the Office of Public Works would continue to construct flood protection barriers.
Deputy Gormley commented that, “I think my constituents will be quite alarmed by Mr Parlon’s blasé approach to this issue. Telling people not to put down a good carpet on the ground floor will lead many people in my area to believe further floods can be expected. What they want is protection from those floods.
“Why is it that only a relatively small section of the Dodder near Irishtown is protected from flooding while the area from Londonbridge Road to Newbridge Avenue is still vulnerable, as is the other side of the Dodder, which leads to Derrynane Gardens and South Lotts Road? Why is it that nothing has been done to protect those living along Beach Road and Strand Road of Sandymount? The Minister says his department will act, but when?
“There seems to be no sense of urgency about the Minister’s approach. Dublin City Council knows what needs to be done, all it needs now is the money, but Minister Parlon has not been so forthcoming when it comes to the cash.
“Finally, why is it that areas in the Taoiseach’s constituency prone to flooding have been looked after, while those who live in the Minister for Justice’s constituency have been ignored,” Mr Gormley concluded.