Communities of Dublin South-West destroyed by Storm Chandra – Govt fail to prepare
Communities of Dublin South-West destroyed by Storm Chandra - Govt fail to prepare - The Labour Party
- Flood alleviation schemes must receive renewed focus from Minister for OPW
Labour climate spokesperson and TD for Dublin South West Ciarán Ahern has expressed his devastation to see areas like Rathfarnham and Scholarstown flooded today.
Deputy Ahern called out the repeated failure by Fine Gael and Fianna Fáil to properly prepare for ever increasing storm damage.
Deputy Ahern said:
“The flooding we’re seeing across my constituency of Dublin South-West in areas like Rathfarnham and Scholarstown, as well as in towns and villages across the country, is indicative of a country without the necessary infrastructure to cope with the changing climate. Witnessing the flood at Grange Park this morning was absolutely shocking and devastating for the community.
“The nearby Whitechurch Stream burst its bank last night and there is now a few feet of water on the road. Thankfully no one was injured, but families have been scrambling to save their possessions as floodwater came up through their floorboards. Cars have ben destroyed and someone had to be rescued from a stranded car earlier.
“This same road was flooded nearly 20 years ago in similar circumstances. Unfortunately, the Whitechurch flood alleviation scheme commenced construction approximately three years ago, yet it is still not completed.
“Works for this OPW project have been met with a number of delays of preventable delays. It beggars that the Minister for the OPW would not prioritise such projects when we know the real risk of flooding to communities in this area.
“I want to pay particular tribute to the Council workers and members of the firebrigade who have been out in the elements since the early hours this morning helping people who had found themselves stuck and now working to clear debris. Their work is a lifeline to many at such an uncertain time.
“The devastation of Storm Chandra underscores Fine Gael and Fianna Fáil’s failure to get serious on climate mitigation infrastructure. Ireland’s climate patterns are changing. A year ago we saw the worst storm in decades in Storm Eowyn, which itself was preceded by several storms that should’ve served as warning signs.
“All the expert advice reiterates this. The World Meteorological Organisation has confirmed that human-induced climate change reached new extremes in 2024, with some consequences now irreversible. At the same time, Ireland’s Climate Change Advisory Council highlighted the country’s failure to prepare for major weather events, after Storm Éowyn exposed “Ireland’s vulnerability and lack of resilience.”
“The ESB has published their review of Storm Eowyn and storm preparedness, and we now have the first National Climate Change Risk Assessment. The recommendations of these analysis’ must be acted on with urgency. Climate change is a reality and it’s accelerating at a rapid pace. Getting our climate mitigation infrastructure to where it needs to be to deal with the inevitable consequences cannot be a long-term ambition – it needs to happen now.”