Sandbags are gone - but Clontarf residents fear home insurance struggle remains

Dublin City Councillors hope that the new flood relief measures in Clontarf will allow residents whose homes were damaged in 2023 to finally secure home insurance

Long-awaited flood relief works at Clontarf have been welcomed - but Dublin City Councillors stress the importance of ensuring affected residents can avail of home insurance.

As a high-risk flood zone, the need for relief measures in Clontarf have been an ongoing issue for years. Now, residents can breathe a sigh of relief as Minister of State with responsibility for the Office of Public Works Kevin ‘Boxer’ Moran TD today announced the completion of Phase 1B of the €3.8 million River Wad Flood Relief Scheme which sees the removal of the temporary sandbags that have been in place for years and widely derided as an ‘eyesore’.

Protecting some 55 residential and six non-residential properties in the area from Clanmoyle Road to the river’s outfall at the end of Clontarf Promenade, this was delivered in partnership with the Office of Public Works and Dublin City Council . “River Wad – Phase 1B Flood Relief Scheme which together with Phase 1A are now protecting a total of 112 properties at a combined cost of €9.4 million,” Minister Moran said.

“It also forms part of a group of 57 completed flood relief schemes that are protecting over 13,640 properties nationwide,” he added. The destruction impact of flooding is something Clontarf locals are all too aware of, with flash floods in 2023 damaging homes, cars, cutting off electricity, and leading to an evacuation of many nearby houses.

The works carried out consist of a new tunnel under Howth Road and an upgrade of the outfall at the seafront in Clontarf. Minister Moran said this is just one component of the €228m funding toward flood risk management schemes across Dublin City.

Following heavy flooding in 2008 and 2009, a comprehensive study of the River Wad catchment recommended a three-part flood relief scheme. Phase 1A was completed in 2015, and this project represents the second stage, Phase 1B. In 2020, Dublin City Council, with funding from the OPW, appointed engineering and environmental consultants to design this phase

Dennis Keeley, Assistant Chief Executive, Climate & Urban Resilience, Dublin City Council said: “This project highlights Dublin City Council’s commitment to protecting communities from flooding. These works will make a real difference in Clontarf by protecting homes, services and key infrastructure, while also preparing for the impacts of climate change. We will continue to work closely with the OPW to deliver flood relief projects across the city.”

Local representatives said this is a positive step forward for protecting Clontarf, but that this must go hand-in-hand with assuring residents they can get home insurance. Fianna Fáil Cllr for the area Deirdre Heney spoke about the devastation felt by the people of Castlecourt and Auburn whose homes have been flooded on multiple occasions.

“I hope this project puts their minds at rest. I would like us to be able to give letters to those people now to ensure they are able to get house insurance,” she said, calling on Minister Moran to do all he can for letters of comfort for households in Clontarf.

“They can’t sleep at night at the thought of not being able to get house insurance. Hopefully, this official launch can ease their minds.”

Green Party Cllr Donna Cooney welcomed “this milestone” but said there’s a lot more work to do as increased extreme weather events require extra protections. “We all remember that fateful day in 2023 when the homes got flooded and people have had no insurance since then,” she said.

She called for further works addressing coastal flooding to be brought to tender. “We need permanent flood defences,” Cllr Cooney said.

Independent TD Barry Heneghan was also in attendance and said it is “great to have this reassurance” for the people of Clontarf. Independent Cllr Kevin Breen explained that residents have been “living in fear” for a long time as they felt without projections in place more destructive floods were inevitable.

He said these works should give private insurance companies the reassurance they need to provide coverage to locals who are now protected against a 1-in-100-year flood event. Cllr Breen said next steps involving updating the OPW and DCC’s flood map and provide long-term defences along Clontarf and the surrounding areas.

Cllr Breen said having the support of Minister Moran in Clontarf is a strong signal that central government has taken the concerns of locals seriously. “This project has been going on for years, so to have that emphasis and drive is really great,” he said.

This content is funded by the Local Democracy Reporting Scheme

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