Residents and business owners in Bantry have expressed their anger and frustration at yesterday's flooding to the Minister of State with responsibility for the Office of Public Works who visited the area this afternoon.
Cork County Council said 20 properties were impacted by the flood water in the town during a Status Orange weather warning.
Bantry town experienced flooding four times in 18 months between 2018 and 2020.
A flood relief scheme is currently in planning.
Consultants were appointed in February 2022 to carry out a detailed study and the first of two public consultations took place in May 2022 & again in May 2024, but it will still be a number of years before any flood relief scheme is in place.
"It's not good enough coming here today suited and booted for the photo op," Catherine Wharton from Wharton's Fish and Chip told Minister Kieran O'Donnell.
"Solutions are great, but it's about putting them into action. We need action now," Susan Shepard of Dix's Jewellery shop told him.
Mr O'Donnell confirmed that the Minister for Enterprise Peter Burke and Minister for Social Protection Heather Humphreys will bring memos to the Cabinet to put in place the financial supports to assist businesses and households who do not have insurance and who were impacted by yesterday's flooding.
The minister said that while the flood defence scheme, which is in the planning stages, will take a number of years, the town’s culvert scheme, which would still take a year to build, would be prioritised in the meantime.
"The technical side of it has been agreed between the OPW and Cork County Council, and the council are going to put it for planning at the end of this month, and I want to see how we can expedite it," Mr O'Donnell said.
"I feel it could be done in quicker time."
He said that a meeting had been arranged for next Wednesday between the OPW, Cork City Council, Uisce Éireann and the consultants on the Culvert Scheme.
The minister said that individual property protection measures, such as flood gates would also be looked at.
Taoiseach pledges financial support
Earlier, the Taoiseach also said financial supports will be made available to the households and businesses impacted by flooding in Bantry.
Speaking at the annual Ivy Day commemoration of the death of Charles Stewart Parnell at Glasnevin Cemetery in Dublin, Simon Harris described the situation as a "difficult day and night" in the southwest of the country.
Mr Harris said there is a "significant, I suppose, template at this stage that we tend to roll out and put in place when an area finds itself hit by a flood".
"I know that is no substitute, by the way, for the trauma that you can experience if your business or your home is flooded."
He said supports are made available to businesses through the Department of Enterprise, Trade and Employment and to households through the Department of Social Protection.
"There are limits and ranges there and they're very similar to those that have been in place for previous floods," he said.
"I think that what the people of Bantry will most want to know is one, when can the flood relief scheme be delivered, and two, and I've heard from them in relation to this, what interim measures can be put in place."
His comments come as the chairperson of the Bantry Business Association said "the water came from everywhere" yesterday during the flooding.
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Speaking on RTÉ's This Week, Danielle Delaney said "people are assessing the damage today and trying to get cleaned up".
Ms Delaney said she had spoken to business owners in the area, describing them as "angry" and "upset".
She added that the water system "basically isn't big enough" to deal with such weather.
"Some people had flood gates up and the water came up through their floors," she added.
Ms Delaney said the Taoiseach's announcement that there will be supports for those impacted by the flooding is "fantastic".
But, she said, "we had this four years ago as well".
"Four years ago, somebody came down from the Government, had a walk around town, looked at all the damage and said, 'don't worry.'"
"We need a more permanent solution, this is four years later, and the exact same thing has happened," Ms Delaney said.
Additional reporting: Fergal O'Brien
