Hopes for Dungiven residents plagued by flooding woes

SDLP East Derry MLA John Dallat has welcomed assurance the long term problem of flooding affecting residents in Dungiven is to be investigated.

Mr Dallat said flooding woes have been a problem, in the Glenroe residential area in particular, for several years. He believes blocked culverts upstream (like the one pictured above) are to blame.

When Mr Dallat quizzed Agriculture minister Michelle O’Neill in the Assembly on Tuesday on the issue, he was told the matter would be investigated.

“The Minister may well be aware that at the height of the building boom, many rivers were piped and culverts then created but those culverts are not being checked on a regular basis, and there is a question mark over whose responsibility it is. Will the Minister investigate that and ensure that, where those culverts exist, whole neighbourhoods are not threatened with flooding,” asked Mr Dallat.

“One Department does not accept, another does not accept, the things are not adopted and neighbourhoods are living in fear.”

The Minister responded, stating: “I can make sure we investigate that”, and acknowledged “how difficult it is to get someone to take ownership. I will certainly take a look at my Department’s role and what we do.”

Mr Dallat added he would monitor the situation, and hoped the cause of the flooding would be identified, and that culverts would be cleared on a regular basis to ensure the issue doesn’t arise again.