With storm season here, residents in Ireland are preparing to protest after another round of delays to flood protections they say should already be in place.
Here's what to know
East Cork campaigners are stepping up their criticism of Kevin "Boxer" Moran, the Minister of State responsible for the Office of Public Works, saying overdue flood measures are being portrayed as progress, the Irish Examiner reported.
Caroline Leahy, speaking for the Midleton and East Cork Flood Protection Group, said residents are losing patience because important protections remain unfinished while storm risks continue.
"We are in the storm season, yet measures to help protect us from floods are still beset with delays," Leahy said, per the Irish Examiner. "We are just sick and tired of the way these delays are dressed up and spun by the minister as development milestones."
Moran said that the €5.8 million ($6.5 million) individual property protection scheme is now due to finish in November. First announced in 2024, the plan is meant to provide flood barriers to 723 properties in Midleton and the wider East Cork area.
That schedule differs from an earlier estimate by Cork County Council, which had said completion would come around "mid-2026."
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That completion date would have allowed the flood protections to be in place before the coming of storm season.
Moran also said Cork County Council expects to file the delayed Midleton Flood Relief Scheme planning application and finish the project in 2031, per the Irish Examiner.
More background
The updated timeline pushes back earlier commitments.
In July, Moran said that the planning application would be submitted by September, while former OPW minister Kieran O'Donnell said in October 2024 that planners were aiming for an early-2026 application and a 2030 completion date.
Those shifting timelines have real-world consequences, leaving households vulnerable to flooding and making it harder for people to feel secure in their homes.
Local Social Democrats TD Liam Quaide said the prolonged wait has become unacceptable.
"The lack of urgency in delivering flood protection for East Cork's villages remains unacceptable," Quaide said, as quoted by the Irish Examiner. "Almost three years after Storm Babet, residents are facing another winter with the fear that their homes could flood again. The minister and OPW need to give these villages a clear timetable for permanent flood and provide the staff and funding needed to deliver it."
A public demonstration is planned in Midleton on October 17 at 12 p.m.
Where can I learn more?
For a wider look at how communities are dealing with flood risk and strained protections, these stories approach the issue from several angles. They cover emergency water management, insurance upheaval, severe flooding, climate warnings, and efforts to build more resilient homes.
• In Deweyville, Texas, officials opened spillway gates as residents braced for rising river water.
• In Brazil, devastating and ongoing flooding forced residents to choose between leaving or staying.
• Carrier and Habitat for Humanity are building energy-efficient, resilient housing for storm-vulnerable communities.
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