DENIS NAUGHTEN HAS called on the National Emergency Coordination Group to direct Bord Na Móna to let its bogs in the midlands flood to ease the pressure of mounting flood waters.
“Over the next three days we are expected to see a further 60mm of rainfall much of which will eventually end up in the River Shannon, with potentially devastating consequences on homes and whole communities.
“At the same time Bord Na Móna continues to keep its pumps running to prevent commercial bog land from flooding. This now needs to be urgently reviewed,” the independent TD for Roscommon–South Leitrim said, noting that the organisation has tens of thousands of acres of bog land within the Shannon basin.
A similar proposal was put to the government in 2012 by the Oireachtas environment committee.
A spokesperson for Bord na Móna said Naughten’s plan “just wouldn’t work” and “wouldn’t make any difference to the overall scale of the problem”.
It needs proper consideration, needs to be properly engineered and needs to be part of a long-term solution.
Met Éireann has issued three separate weather warnings today, as Storm Frank approaches Ireland. Areas along the River Shannon are currently on flood watch as the river is expected to rise by a further 10cm by this Wednesday.
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