CARLOW TOWN:RESIDENTS OF the Quays area of Carlow town were last night preparing for a second night of flooding as water built up in the Barrow, flooding parts of Portarlington, a traditional signal of flooding downstream in Carlow.
Yesterday, following an evening of drama that saw over 100 residents moved from their homes by boat and JCB tractor units, Minister for the Environment, John Gormley, visited the town and pledged that the €30 million contract for flood defences for the town would proceed as quickly as possible.
The flood waters, which at one stage reached 1.83m (6ft) where the Barrow had burst its banks opposite the rowing club, flooded three new apartment blocks. The electricity supply to the apartments was cut off for safety reasons and residents evacuated.
Of the 103 residents who had to be moved, 13 were given emergency accommodation by the local authority. Last night most of them were still out of their homes.
One of the unlucky couples, Ger Scully and Barbara Brennan, who live with their child in one of the ground-floor flats in the three apartment buildings hardest hit by the flooding, said they were going to move away from the area.
"This is the second time this happened this year, and all our belongings are destroyed. We have been out buying clothes for the baby. We just cannot live here any more; we will have to move," said Ms Brennan, who said the flooding was a very frightening experience.
Kathy Walsh, a spokeswoman for the asset management company that manages the three apartment blocks, Centaur House, John's Mill and Centaur Court, said 39 apartments had been hit by the floods.
Having toured the area and spoken to some of the flood victims, Mr Gormley said it was clear that climate was changing, weather patterns were changing and we were going to see more rainfall in future.
"As a consequence, we have to plan accordingly, and that is why in the next few weeks I will be issuing new guidelines in relation to flooding, and I hope that in the future building on flood plains will become a thing of the past.
"These are the sort of changes we need to make to deal with the future," he said.
On Carlow itself, he said, he hoped that the contract for flood defences proceeded as quickly as possible.
"This area has been flooding for over 100 years, and that is another reason why we should proceed as quickly as possible with this contract, as well as the main drainage system which was unable to cope with the level of rainfall on Saturday.
"I have given that commitment here today to my colleague [Green Party TD] Mary White and to the councillors that I will ensure that the contract proceeds as quickly as possible."
Mr Gormley said on the question of compensation for victims, that if there was a broader humanitarian issue that could not be covered by existing aid schemes or insurance that would have to be looked at by Cabinet.
"We have to look at all the facts to see what extent we are looking at a major humanitarian crisis or whether it is a localised flooding issue.
"All of those issues will be considered, but I think there are packages available for those who need them."
A spokesman for Carlow Town Council said it would be some days before the extent of the damage caused to the area could be assessed.