An Independent Enniscorthy Councillor has criticized Minister James Brown for comments he made regarding the Enniscorthy Flood Scheme
Minister Brown pointed the blame at the County Council for the rejection of the scheme. However, The scheme was dismissed by the government, including Minister Michael McGrath, over environmental concerns related to a freshwater pearl. This decision has left residents and businesses vulnerable to flooding.
That’s according to Jackser Owens who says it was a cheap shot to blame the council, “Larry McHale is the project engineer in the county hall, county council for the flood scheme in this county.
He comes to every meeting every month. This man could not believe that this scheme was rejected. He’s a top engineer. So coming on to blame the county council, I think it’s a cheap shot. This week, we’re almost nearly flooded again. Michael McGrath had two papers on the table. He had one for approval and one for a rejection and he rejected. So this is down to the government.”
The Independent General Election Candidate also raised his extreme concerns once more over the lack of school pedestrian crossings in the area. According to Jackser the safety of school routes is chaotic, specifically, the route to St. Aidan’s School which is described as chaotic and unsafe. There is also no pedestrian crossing at St. Senans School in Enniscorthy which serves 440 students.
Speaking to South East Radio news Jackser Owens said children’s lives are in danger, “It is chaos down here. I was down there yesterday morning, again, giving out leaflets to people. And it is chaos. In St Senans School, in the Shannon area, which has 440 students, and they have no pedestrian crossing. No, they have no safe route to school. I’m calling for a pedestrian crossing, at St Senans School it is not safe. They’re putting children’s lives in danger. Every day there’s not a school warden there”