Latest: Half a million euro plan to lower sea wall in Clontarf ludicrous, says Boxer Moran
The Minister of State with responsibility for the OPW Kevin ‘Boxer’ Moran has warned Dublin City Councillors they will bear the consequences if they move forward with their plan to lower the partially built sea wall in Clontarf.
Councillors voted last night to spend half a million euro to reduce the height of the barrier after local residents complained it blocked views of Dublin Bay.
However, the city manager believes the reduced height means it will not meet national flood protection standards.
Minister Moran described the decision as ludicrous.
He said: "Everything the OPW build is taking climate change into account and when I hear someone saying they want to lower a wall by a couple of millimetres so people can see into the sea - that is absolutely ludicrous."
Dublin city councillors have voted to spend half a million euro on lowering the partially built sea wall in Clontarf.
That is despite the city manager warning it will not meet national flood protection standards.
The voted carried 34 to 21 in favour of reducing the height and resurfacing the barrier, after locals mounted a massive campaign complaining it blocked their views of the sea.
Labour's Rebecca Moynihan said it was bizarre and irresponsible to reduce the wall for the benefits of drivers who should be looking at the road.
Green Party representative Ciaran Cuffe, who voted against lowering the wall, says colleagues have missed the bigger picture.
He said: "The City Council put in a new sea wall to protect parts of Clontarf from sea surges and flooding.
"That is going to happen and we tried to put in works that will prepare the area."
