Clare senator calls for fresh approach to flood management

GREEN Party Senator Róisín Garvey is calling for multi-faceted approach to the ongoing problem of flooding.

The Inagh native introduced a Private Members’ Motion to the upper house to calling for a multi-faceted, catchment-based approach to managing flooding.

Senator Garvey introduced the motion, which recommends a multi-faceted response to flood management while maintaining a multi-annual investment programme managed between the OPW and the local authorities.

“I’m raising this motion because of what I’ve seen happening first-hand in my own county of Clare over the last few years and across the rest of Ireland,” she told the chamber.

“The climate has changed and so has our rain fall in both frequency and ferocity. I am deeply worried about what lies ahead if we don’t take action.”

“International best practice demonstrates that catchment-based solutions, using a combination of natural flood management approaches and hard engineering, are the best way forward and cost less than using only hard engineering solutions.”

The motion calls for planting ‘protection forests’ along rivers and lakes to manage flooding risks and a land use review of farmland, forests and peatlands. Senator Pippa Hackett, Minister of State for Land Use and Biodiversity welcomed the motion.

“The incidence and severity of flooding is already affecting us with a changing climate,” she said.

“It puts our towns and our farmlands under water. How we adapt to climate change will play a significant role in the wellbeing of so many of our citizens. A land-use review is underway, and this should help inform us how best to mitigate flooding – not just in urban settings, but across farmlands.”

The motion also seeks progress on a national policy on coastal erosion and flooding. Senator Pauline O’Reilly noted that Ireland will see “more hard storms, rather than more soft days”. “This means we need to prepare our coastal roads and paths,” she said.

“We should no longer build along much of our coastline. Where we used to build houses, it will now be more appropriate to put greenways and blueways. We need to prepare for the worst and aim for the best. Bringing down emissions across the globe will help, but there is no doubt that some of the impacts of climate change are irreversible. Flooding and storms are a reality.”

In addition, the motion recommends the development of a revised and strengthened River Basin Management Plan for 2022, which is currently open for public consultation.

Senator Vincent P. Martin added: “The time is now to adopt a multi-faceted approach to the increasing issue of flooding in Ireland. We are a small island on the cold face of the Atlantic and changing weather systems. It is not a problem that is going away and one we must face head on in order to protect our communities, farmland and nature.”