Sir, – The Dunkellin river flooded on Monday morning. Distress calls were made to Galway County Council and the Office of Public Works, the latter being responsible for the upkeep of our waterways. A heap of sand and a bale of empty bags came but no personnel. A group of volunteers filled, bagged and barricaded for seven hours. A senior official with OPW checked in with two of his staff, who spent the day measuring water levels on the bridge, while the affected families waited for help, in fear for their properties and their livelihoods. The same situation existed here six years ago. Did the OPW lose the measurements? It has carried out numerous surveys in the intervening six years but no work has been done. An email from its head office tells me they will respond to mine in 20 days. – Yours, etc,
ANNE MARIE KENNEDY,
Craughwell,
Co Galway.