Grant angry at Government decision to halt Dargle Flood Scheme

Little Bray representative Cllr David Grant has expressed his anger at the Government’s decision to defer indefinitely the long awaited Dargle Flood Protection Scheme.
 
In a letter to Council officials that was presented at this month’s meeting of the Council, the Office of Public Works stated that it was carrying out a review of all projects it has on hand and until such time as this review has been carried out no sanction for the Dargle Flood Protection Scheme will be forthcoming.
 
The Office of Public Works has advised the Council that the review is to be undertaken and determine what projects it will prioritise on the basis of which projects will yield the best economic return for their investment.
 
“The information that was brought to the Council meeting gives credence to my earlier suspicions that this Government will fail to deliver on a project that is vital for the residents of Little Bray.  Statements by the Minister with responsibility for the Office of Public Works last month signalled that the breaks were being put on this project” said Cllr Grant.
 
“Works on the Dargle River will not now happen in 2011 and no guarantee that the scheme will start in spring of 2012 has been given.  The nature of this scheme requires the works to be carried out at certain times of the year and that is lost for this year.
 
This Government review has also changed the criteria on which the scheme has been prioritised up to now.  The tragic events of 1986’s Hurricane Charley and the continued threat to life and property from a potential reoccurrence ensured that the Dargle Flood Protection Scheme had received preference at the Office of Public Works; now the Scheme is to be rated based on its value to the economic recovery.
 
The importance of this Flood Scheme should not be calculated on its yield to economic growth but on the protection of the lives, homes and livelihoods in the Little Bray area” Cllr Grant continued.
 
“Over the past few months the final hurdles to this Scheme were cleared and the project ready to go.  Now the Government has put a halt on all that. The project’s future and future safety of residents in Little Bray has been made uncertain.
 
I am deeply disappointed and angry at this news.  The Dargle Flood Protection Scheme was one of the issues I pushed as Cathaoirleach of the Council, bringing it through its final stages only for it now to be stopped in its tracks.
 
Bray Town Council is to seek a meeting with Minister Hayes on this matter and I hope that this meeting will take place soon and that the Minister will confirm the Scheme should proceed without any further delays” concluded Cllr Grant.