By Dan Walsh
Christmas flooding across Co. Wexford is expected to cost millions of euro after numerous bridges have either collapsed or being swept away and road surfaces have been torn apart. Many roads are still closed.
Enniscorthy is under water today. There is single passage through Enniscorthy with the areas of Island Road, Templeshannon, Templeshannon Quay, Abbey Quay and The Promenade all under water. Advice to roadusers is to avoid Enniscorthy town centre at all costs.
Cathaoirleach of Enniscorthy Municipal District Council, Cllr Barbara-Anne Murphy was visiting flood damage in the district including Enniscorthy. “It is devastating with bridges down, roads closed, it will cost millions of euro. The entire county is destroyed,” she told WexfordLocal.com
Staff from Wexford County Council are directing traffic at Enniscorthy and roadusers are urged to obey ‘closed’ signs and to avoid travel unless the journey is necessary.
Overnight bridges have collapsed at Kilcarbery and Wilton. Yesterday, bridges at Chapel, near Clonroche, and Courtown are completely gone.
Roads are closed at Clohamon, Ballycarney and Edermine. The condition of hundreds of other bridges are precarious and safety reviews will be necessary and some may be closed for months.
Fianna Fáil Cllr Lisa McDonald in the Rosslare Municipal District, is calling for the immediate opening of emergency humanitarian aid schemes following yesterday’s significant flooding across the District.
“This morning I’m joining the call from Minister James Browne for the opening of emergency humanitarian aid schemes following yesterday’s horrendous flooding in the Rosslare District,” said Cllr. McDonald.
“The Emergency Humanitarian Aid Scheme from the Department of Enterprise, Trade and Employment provides urgent funding of up to €20,000 to small businesses, sports clubs, community and voluntary organisations that could not secure flood insurance and have premises that have been damaged.”
“The Department of Social Protection may activate the Humanitarian Assistance Scheme. This income-tested scheme provides emergency financial assistance to households who are not able to meet costs for essential needs immediately following flooding. The scheme aims to provide financial support to people who have suffered damage to their home.”
“It is incumbent on Minister’s Leo Varadkar and Heather Humphreys to open these schemes with immediate effect. The damages to homes and businesses across the district are significant and the least these people deserve at this traumatic and stressful time is financial aid,” she concluded.
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