Tipperary TD Jackie Cahill is hitting out at what he calls “Unbalanced regulations that prevent rivers and water courses from being cleaned annually.” Without naming any group the TD claims that “some lobby groups seem to be able to excessively influence policy in this area.”
The TD wants the cleaning and maintenance of water courses and rivers to be enhanced as he believes that the lack of maintenance of rivers is resulting in increased instances of flooding of homes and agricultural land.
Deputy Cahill says the River Suir in Thurles is a typical example of a river that desperately needs cleaning and maintenance works and also claims that people interested in fishing in the river struggle to even access the banks of the river. He also cites the Kilmastulla river in north west Tipperary as another river that poses a risk to flooding of farmland and residential properties. The Thurles based TD says while rivers must maintain habitats their primary purpose is to carry away water.
