REMARKS BY PRESIDENT McALEESE AT CORK CITY HALL MONDAY, 21 DECEMBER 2009
REMARKS BY PRESIDENT McALEESE AT CORK CITY HALL MONDAY, 21 DECEMBER 2009
Dia dhíbh a chairde, míle bhuíochas díbh as an fáilte a thug sibh dom. Lord Mayor, ladies and gentlemen, I’m delighted to join you here this morning to say thank you for the heroic efforts you each have made during the most challenging time that Cork has seen this decade. Like so many others, I closely followed the reporting on the impact of the floods here in Cork and was saddened to see the effects on this beautiful city and on so many of its residents and business people. And while the damage to property is devastating, we are also thankful that the effects were not much worse. That is principally due to the planning and hard work of all the various agencies and bodies represented here today.
You faced, and continue to face, multiple challenges. The crisis management team, lead by the City Manager Joe Gavin sprung into immediate action, coordinating responses and prioritising water supply and facilities. It is good to see so many members of the City Council staff here today; I know that everyone, no matter what their day job, was ready to pitch in, whether it was manning the phone lines, servicing water supply points or staffing the emergency centre. I congratulate you Lord Mayor and all your team here on their selfless, tireless responses.
I would like to thank the Civil Defence who in many places were the hands and faces of the rescue effort, playing a major role in organising evacuations and ensuring the safety of people and property. I would also like to thank the representatives of the Defence Forces. The Army played a key role in providing transport and access to flooded areas, and in protecting the power supplies to the Mercy Hospital, while the Navy was critical in the efforts to repair and restore the drinking water supply for the city. An Garda Síochana closed blocked roads, provided valuable information on dangerous bridges, ensured road safety and traffic management, as well as liaising with communities who were affected by the flooding and calling to the homes of all those considered vulnerable to ensure they had fresh drinking water and supplies. The Fire Services, the Red Cross, the Coastguard services, the National Maritime College and the Port of Cork all made major contributions to the planning and responses. I would also like to thank the HSE’s emergency planning teams for ensuring the safety of patients at Mercy Hospital and other faculties which were threatened by the floods, and its public health unit for the role it played in ensuring adequate information for all those affected by water shortages.
As I can see by just a glance around this room, the effort was very much a team one. The challenge was huge but so too was the response and I congratulate all those involved for their cooperation and teamwork. While the crisis phase is thankfully over, I know that the recovery and rebuilding effort is still continuing. I am glad to learn that so many families have already had their most basic needs met and I was very pleased to learn about the Lord Mayor’s fund which aims to provide a little bit above and beyond the basic to enable those worst affected to have a little comfort and cheer this Christmas time. Those who saw their homes and businesses destroyed by the floods have been through a stressful, traumatic time and our thoughts are with them in this run-up to Christmas. I would like to thank everyone here today, and everybody who you represent, for your Trojan efforts. I wish you all a Peaceful Christmas and a Happy New Year.
Go raibh míle maith agaibh go léir.