Richard Boyd Barrett on Newtown-Smith Floods and Funding Failures
Richard Boyd Barrett criticised chronic underfunding of local authorities after widespread flooding in Newtown-Smith, arguing that missing infrastructure caused the damage. He praised council indoor and outdoor crews, challenged criticisms of forecasting by Metair and orange weather warnings, and opposed limits on who may submit on flood protection schemes.
Flooding incidents and council response
Richard Boyd Barrett said Durnary Ratdown received hundreds of calls during flooding in Newtown-Smith and along the dark lines. He thanked both indoor council workers and outdoor teams who went out to respond to the incidents.
Infrastructure failures and sewage mixing
He said that for decades the area has suffered from flood water, rain water and sea water mixing with sewage when heavy rains arrive. He highlighted that a gully in Newtown-Smith was removed about three decades ago and that the missing gully is the reason the town flooded, with no money allocated to reinstate it so seawater can flow back out.
Local authority funding concerns
He described chronic underfunding of local authorities, saying Ireland is at the lowest level of funding in the European league table by a mile because of underfunding of outdoor crews and local authorities generally. He framed the funding shortfall as a central cause of the inadequate response and infrastructure deficits.
Forecasting, submissions and expert input
While agreeing with much of the motion, he urged Deputy Tobin to reconsider criticisms of forecasting by Metair and of orange weather warnings. He opposed limiting submissions on flood protection schemes to those with a material interest or local residence, arguing that experts such as Matt Aaron should be allowed to contribute to consultations, and he addressed Deputy Heenan at the close of his remarks.
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Durnary Ratdown received hundreds and hundreds of calls with flooding in Newtown-Smith and along the dark lines and so on. So first of all I want to thank the council workers, both the indoor council workers and the outdoor teams who had to go out and respond to this and what it highlights is the fact of the chronic underfunding of our local authorities. Ireland is at the lowest level of funding in the European league table by a mile because the underfunding of outdoor crews people in local authorities generally. Secondly, for years, for decades literally we've identified the problem of flood water, rain water, sea water mixing with sewage in our area when the rains come in and the infrastructure has not been put in, the money has not been forthcoming. In Newtown-Smith when there was massive flooding a gully was taken out about three decades ago and that is the reason all of Newtown-Smith was flooded. Everybody knows it and the money has not been allocated to actually put in the gully which would allow the seawater to flow back, to flow back out again. Last point I want to make, I agree with a lot in this motion but I think Deputy Tobin should reconsider the criticisms he made of forecasting by Metair and an orange weather warnings given what he's now saying. Secondly, I do not agree that you should limit submissions on flood protection schemes to people who have a material interest or are locally based. For example, if you're an expert on flood defences and climatology, should you not have the right to put in a submission on flood? Of course you should. In fact part of the problem is we're not listening to the experts, we're not listening to people like Matt Aaron. We should start this thing. Deputy Heenan.
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