President Michael D. Higgins meets flood affected communities in Galway and Wexford
Date: Mon 4th Jan, 2016 | 13:27
"I was pleased to have the opportunity of coming to Labane today, and of meeting some the farm families and businesses affected by the recent flooding.
I took the opportunity of thanking all of the agencies and volunteers who have been assisting those affected and of paying tribute to the extraordinary sense of community that has prevailed for nearly a month now.
One particular aspect of the floods in Labane to highlight is the situation of those who are isolated and marooned and facing a painful wait for the waters to recede. It is only then that the task of recovery, in so far as possible, can begin.
I had the opportunity of thanking the Army who have been in Labane since 9 December. I had the opportunity as well of directly thanking the voluntary services, the state agencies and the local authorities who are all working together with a great sense of cooperation.
While everybody was very tired and those who have had to leave their homes are anxious and distressed, there was a great sense of determination to overcome these recent events.
I was struck, also, by the solidarity and resilience of communities in many parts of the country and want to commend all those who have come out to assist others in their hour of need.There was an opportunity of discussing the changed nature of these floods in the context of the consequences of climate change, along with our willingness to deliver the same spirit of cooperation into community consultations with the authorities, in a way that will deliver an adequate and accelerated response, one that will place the communities in readiness for the future.
It is especially important that as a nation we pull together now to address the urgent challenge of managing these events and of putting in place the mechanisms needed to ensure better preparedness in the future, as the evidence points to these extreme events becoming more frequent, and accelerating, in the years to come."
Speaking in Enniscorthy, where he met many of the victims of the recent flooding in the town, President Michael D. Higgins described their resilience as “extraordinary and exemplary in the face of such devastation”.
The President said: “It is important that at this extraordinary time of such devastation across the country, I as President of Ireland and on behalf of the Irish people would express empathy and solidarity with those families and businesses who have been affected by the floods. I pay tribute to the people of Enniscorthy whose well-known resilience has been tested many times but remains stronger than ever”.
The President later visited Enniscorthy Presentation Centre, where he met and thanked those personnel who responded to the flooding, including Wexford County Council staff, Slaney Search and Rescue, an Garda Síochána, Civil Defence, the HSE, private contractors, and the Defence Forces.
