Watters: One year on from floods in Louth and still no financial assistance

Louth Sinn Féin candidate in General Election 2024, Cllr Antóin Watters has said that one year on from the floods that devastated parts of the Cooley Peninsula, there are still homeowners and farmers in north Louth who still have not received any financial assistance from the Government to deal with the damage from the flooding.

Cllr Watters was speaking this week to the Dundalk Democrat, following the Dundalk Municipal District November meeting. Cllr Watter said that in "eight years as a councillor, I've seen a lot of the problems that are affecting local authorities and that was kind of summed up last year with the flooding.

"Unfortunately at the minute we're still dealing with farmers and some homeowners who still haven't got any financial assistance to deal with the damage from the flooding. That's a big issue. We're now over a year past the flood event last Halloween, so that's a disgrace. We've had ministers and photo opportunities but that's no good to people. People need money to get their lives and their farms and family and livelihoods back together. That's not good enough."

Cllr Watters said that while homeowners have received some payments, "they still haven't got their full amount. But farmers have not got any payments for damage to their lands. Three or four days ago I was talking to a farmer who is still waiting for it." He said that there was some payments that covered items like fodder, "but there's no money for the damage that was done to their property."

"So, as a rural candidate", he added, "I'm hoping to try and help rural communities, all around Louth, who are seeing these inefficiencies and how the Government is operating and how neglect its happening for rural Ireland, its not good enough."

He continued: "One of my other priorities is in relation to planning. I did a lot of work in relation to the development plan last time, to try and make it better. It's not ideal, we need to do more on that. Our party spokesman, Eoin Ó Broin is also looking at some waivers in relation to families and young people who have mobile homes and modular homes at their house, where they're looking for an exemption in relation to that. That's very important. People are struggling to save for mortgages, they still need somewhere to live.

"That's very important to give young people a chance. People need their own independence for their own mental health, their own wee family that they may have. They want to have their own place to live and that's very important, so I'm going to keep working on that and I'm really looking forward to the challenge."

The local councillor further added that the reception he has been receiving while canvassing has been very positive. "Really good response on the doors", he commented. "People know that I've worked hard for them over the last eight years. They'll be sad to see me leave the council, is what they're saying to me and I appreciate that, but I think I can do a lot at a higher level and I'm going to give it my best shot to try and get there."