Bandon on stand-by as floods threaten again

Residents and traders in Bandon in West Cork are on stand-by this Christmas Day as heavy and constant rain overnight has led to flooding in many outlying areas and fears that the Bandon river may burst its banks later this evening.

Former Mayor of Bandon, Sean O ‘Donovan said that heavy rain in West Cork had led to the closure of a number of roads in the area including the Bandon -Kilbrittain Road while there was also heavy surface water on stretches of the Bandon-Dunmanway Road and the Bandon-Clonakilty Road.

“All that water and the water in the fields will have to come into the Bandon river at some stage and we have a high tide at quarter to-five this evening - it’s too early yet to say what levels the river will rise to but we’re watching the levels back in Dunmanway closely o see how high it rises”.

The impact of Storm Eve in West Cork comes just three weeks after Storm Desmond battered the west and south west , leading to severe flooding in Bandon town centre on the night of December 5th and 6th with up to 50 businesses and homes flooded to depths of up to two feet.

Minister of State with responsibility for the OPW, Simon Harris visited Bandon just over a week later and met with affected traders and residents and pledged that he would not rest until a €10 million flood relief scheme for the town promised since severe flooding in 2009 would start next year.

Mr Harris expressed confidence that the main Bandon Flood Relief Scheme would start on time in May/June next year after tenders are received in January and work would be completed in two years but in the meanwhile he had agreed some interim measures with Cork County Council.

Mr Harris's predecessor, Brian Hayes had promised in 2011 and 2012 that the flood relief scheme would start in 2013 but the OPW withdrew the original tender documents after a contractor who didn't make the tender short list threatened to take a High Court action over their exclusion.

Mr Harris said that after meeting up to 50 traders and residents from the South Main St, Oliver Plunkett St, Bridge St, North Main St and Watergate St areas, he was fully cognisant of the stress and anxiety that they were facing as they feared a repeat of the December 5th/6th flood.

He said the interim measures agreed with Cork County Council included modifying flap valves to prevent waters coming up shores, sealing the embankment upstream of the Lidl supermarket and procuring larger pumps but he ruled out an interim dredging of the river bed through the town.

“I am conscious of not doing anything that would affect the integrity of the tender and given dredging is such a large part of the flood relief scheme, you could actually invite another legal challenge and I want this tender to get on and be started with shovels in the ground in June.”