[Sinn Fein]

19th September 2002

Residents of Ringsend will block several junctions in Ringsend tomorrow

Residents of Ringsend will block several junctions in and around Ringsend tomorrow to highlight their fears of flooding and the fact that Tom Parlon, Minister for State, refuses to make 1.5 million Euros available to provide proper and adequate protection for these residents.

These residents' homes were flooded in February of this year and they have had to live in fear of further flooding ever since.

To maximise the impact of the blockages, residents will be assembling at 8:15am in Ringsend. They will then proceed to 4 main junction and block traffic with their protest.

Speaking in Ringsend, Sinn Fein's Representative Daithí Doolan assured residents that he will continue to actively support them in their quest for justice. Mr Doolan said:

``It has now been 7 months since the initial flooding took place here in Ringsend. Yet the government has not so much as lifted a finger to assist or indeed protect these residents from further flooding.

``This government, and in particular Minister of State Tom Parlon, are behaving in a totaly iresponsible manner. Here we have a community living in the shadow of further flooding. This shadow has caused deep fear here in Ringsend. The government need to wake up to their responsibilities. Inactivity will only cause further hardship for this community. I am calling on Tom Parlon to make this money available immediately so construction can start as soon as possible.

``City Council and the Office of Public Works have agreed that 1:5 million Euros are needed to build a structure along the River Dodder. This structure will protect the hundreds of homes in Ringsend from further flooding. The only issue blocking progress on this project is government's unwillingness to allocate the money.''

Further action is planned for next week if the government refuses to allocate the 1:5 million Euros.

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