Galway City Council spent €115,000 in wake of Ophelia and Eleanor

The city’s clean-up costs for two recent storms topped €115,000.

Hurricane Ophelia, which hit in October, and in particular Storm Eleanor, which battered the west coast in January, caused flooding and other damage throughout the city.

During Eleanor gusts of 140kph were recorded along the western seaboard and there was record flooding in the city centre, Claddagh and back the West.

Galway City Council this week confirmed the additional costs associated with cleaning-up after the two storms was €115,004.

Director of Services Tom Connell, in a written response to Labour City Councillor Niall McNelis, said the monies had been recouped from the Department of Environment.

Mr O’Connell said the money was spread across a number of sections in the City Council.

The Housing Department co-ordinated sand-bag collection points and accommodated the homeless during the severe weather, he said.

The local Environment Department assisted with the clean-up and collection of waste and the Transport Department, “had staff on the ground deploying sand bags and removing debris and trees”.

The total costs associated with the storms relate to staff overtime and outdoor staff wages as well as materials and plant hire, he said. That doesn’t represent the total cost, however, and Mr Connell said more costs have yet to be incurred.

“In some areas there are outstanding repairs to be carried out this year and these costs are yet to be incurred,” he said.

The costs do not include the losses and damage to private property and incurred by businesses. Cllr McNelis is awaiting a report into how much Red Cross aid was given to Galway businesses.

Cllr McNelis has also written to Environment Minister Eoghan Murphy, and OPW Minister Kevin ‘Boxer’ Moran, requesting funding is made available for temporary flood gates. He also wants plans for permanent flood defences expedited.

“It is important that after May 3 when the much awaited CFRAM report into flooding is published, that funding is allocated by Government for permanent flood defences in the city and works start sooner rather than later,” he added.