Michael Fitzmaurice TD says he has been left “dismayed and very disappointed” over the lack of development in the Draft Flood Management Plans.
The Independent TD said “I attended the CFRAM public consultations in both Roscommon Town and Athleague on Wednesday and I have to say that I was dismayed and very disappointed as what I saw there. It was exactly what we saw when the consultations were held three months ago and nothing that was said by local people has been taken on board as far as I can see, which is very disappointing. I would urge locals to make submissions on the basis that our rivers streams and drains need to be dredged as the only way to prevent flooding in certain areas”
Michael Fitzmaurice continued “In Roscommon Town unless the (Railway) Bridge over The River Jiggy is addressed they are wasting their time. That River also needs to be widened. In Athleague at the Silver Stream bigger culverts are needed and remedial works at needed at the Suck and the by pass at Tubbervaddy needs to be opened to provide flood relief. A sum of about €250,000 would be sufficient instead of the sum of €2.5 million that is being talked about”
“The reality is that the winter is coming and flooding will once again be a huge threat. Actions speak louder than any words or reports and we have to take heed of local knowledge when we are tacking these problems or we will be in a worse state this time next year” he concluded.