Across Cork, nine flood relief schemes are completed. The OPW is currently providing funding to Cork County Council for nine staff for the delivery of 15 additional flood relief schemes across the county, which are all funded by the Government’s commitment to support the delivery of flood relief schemes under the national development plan. Six of these are in tranche 1 schemes and are under way at this time, including Midleton. The Midleton flood relief scheme is due to be submitted by Cork County Council to An Coimisiún Pleanála in quarter 3 of 2026 and be substantially complete by 2031, protecting up to 750 properties that flooded during Storm Babet. Cork County Council, in June 2025, submitted a marine area consent application to the Maritime Area Regulatory Authority. Advance works of €5.8 million at Midleton were recently submitted for planning under Part 8 and a public information day was held on 23 October. Subject to planning consent, construction works to protect 135 properties are expected to commence in late summer or early autumn 2026. Castlemartyr, which includes Mogeely, Rathcormac and Youghal are not in the first tranche of schemes being designed at this time. The specialised nature of engineering required means having trebled the number of schemes at design and construction to 100, Ireland is constrained by availability of specialised resources to commence new schemes. Cork County Council is rolling out a €5.8 million individual property protection scheme across Midleton and east Cork to some 725 homes and businesses affected by Storm Babet in October 2023. This forms part of the council’s emergency response to these areas. The council and the OPW meet quarterly with the local elected representatives, businesses and the community to keep them updated on and provide input into the planned works on the Midleton flood relief scheme and other measures, including those across east Cork. The next meeting will be held on 22 January. Cork County Council, with funding from the OPW, is introducing localised flood mitigation measures for communities across east Cork.
Sentiment score: 0.19
If my wife hears I am going to Cork again, she will think I am either running for the election down there or I am having an affair. I will visit Midleton again because I am very keen to drive on the scheme. I have my Department working with the local authorities and the Deputies. As the Deputy knows, I have visited Midleton and nearly all the areas he mentioned. I have been down there twice and I am trying to drive on the scheme but the Midleton scheme is very complex. There are four different sources of flooding that happen in the one area. I understand and read what people are saying about the frustrations they are feeling. I understand it; no one knows this more than myself. It is about trying to deliver a scheme. We get one chance to get it right; if we do not, it will flood. This takes time and it is complex. When we go in and start the job, yes, we will leave Midleton in a much better place. People want to see that happening now but the interim measures, and the changes we have made to the minor works scheme, is a huge help to the local authorities. I will continue to engage with the Deputy, as I will with the people of Midleton, but, in particular, I will be driving on these schemes through the local authorities. I need more push from the Deputies to drive that as well.
Sentiment score: 0.13
Again, with regard to those areas mentioned, I changed the criteria in the minor works scheme, so it is up to the local authority now to look at interim measures. We have supplied it with nine staff so it is up to the local authority to look at those areas in question to see if we can help it to move on. In regard to Midleton, as the Deputy knows, we have done individual property protections, IPPs, and business protection. I know it is low but it is the biggest scheme we have ever taken on with regard to how many houses are affected and need support. Putting in the floodgates at the homes and businesses has been rolled out, as the Deputy knows, and it is slow. In fairness to it, the local authority has carried out other interim measures in Midleton and we are close to coming in with Part 8 planning in certain parts of the area. If we could get that over the line, it would be a huge plus for the local people in Midleton. I know it will not satisfy everyone because it is one section, but the changes I have made to the minor works scheme mean that Cork County Council, working with the Deputy and other public representatives, could move to drive more of the interim measures. I believe in interim measures. I believe that while we are waiting for a long-term solution, these are vital. That is why I made this choice.
Sentiment score: 0.17
The Athenry Dominican Priory is an important medieval monastic site and is a national monument in State care. The Office of Public Works, OPW, has statutory responsibility for its conservation, presentation and management. Protecting the fabric of this historically significant site while facilitating meaningful public access is a key priority for the OPW, and this balance guides all decisions around how the priory is operated. While the priory is closed to unsupervised access, it continues to be made available to the public through guided tours and supervised visits, which are organised and delivered by OPW guide staff based at Athenry Castle. These visits allow members of the public to experience and engage with the monument while ensuring that the site is appropriately protected at all times. During 2025, guided tours of the priory were held throughout the season from April to November. These scheduled visits have proven to be effective in allowing access while maintaining oversight of visitor movement within the monument. All access requests are managed through Athenry Castle, where OPW staff provide the necessary information, organise tours and co-ordinate visitor management. At present, the priory is not open for general, unsupervised public access. This position is based on a combination of conservation, security, and health and safety considerations. Since 2019, following incidents of damage and graffiti, the OPW has had to restrict casual access in order to safeguard the structure and prevent further damage. The OPW continuously monitors the condition of the monument and, as part of operational planning, it will review whether additional guided or supervised access can be scheduled more frequently throughout the year.
Sentiment score: 0.19
I agree with the Deputy in one sense but I would say that the OPW is very good and works very closely with all stakeholders in relation to the castle and the priory and all the other OPW sites. We promote all our sites very well. Last year alone, there were some 50 million visitors to OPW sites across the country, and no place more than the west of Ireland which got a lot of visitors. On the other hand, we have to supervise the priory. The Deputy knows the damage that has been caused. It would be a different situation if we were here this morning and we had not had the priory supervised and damage had been done. Then, the Deputy would be asking me what I was going to do about it. I will work closely with the Deputy, as I have on other things that he has raised. In terms of tourism, my Department works closely with other Departments and Fáilte Ireland to try to promote tourism, where possible. I was the first Minister to allow kids under the age of 12 into all of our sites. I have also done a pilot scheme for under 18s, to improve the visitor numbers up and down the country, and it has proven to be very successful. In relation to the question the Deputy asked me about a longer opening schedule, it is something I will look at.
Sentiment score: 0.15
As the Deputy outlined, it is important that all the stakeholders come together. Regarding anything that comes from the stakeholders, my Department has always reached out and been supportive. I will have to come back to the Deputy regarding the castle because it was not in the question. I am looking at the issue of sites that are not getting the numbers I would like to see them getting. I call these the smaller sites. I want to see if we can work in partnership with other tourism sectors, so we can deliver more numbers into those key areas. Tourism is what keeps the country going at certain times of the year. In my own town of Athlone, I note the large number of people who, when the castle closes, ask me when it is going to open again. I fully understand the Deputy's frustration but, as he said, the OPW is doing good work. We will work together with the stakeholders to deliver for people and tourism but we have to acknowledge all the local groups and the work they do. I thank them for their work because the work they do along with the voluntary groups, particularly in the area in question, is vital to the economy and to tourism.
Sentiment score: 0.22