Donegal councillor says homes should not have been built on flood plain

Some of the homes and housing estates that were affected by last Tuesday’s devastating floods in Inishowen should not have been built where they were, a local county councillor has said.
Up to 500 homes may have been badly affected by the heavy rain floods which meteorologists have described as a once in a hundred years event.
Speaking at an emergency council meeting following the flooding, Cllr John Ryan suggested that council planning decisions in recent times could have contributed to some of the flooding.
The Fine Gael councillor said at least one housing estate that he is familiar with should not have been built where it was.
“Those houses should not have been built where they were because they were built on floodplains,” he said.
He also referred to a private house which has been flooded seven times since the occupier moved in.
“If that house was built on a floodplain, then we have a responsibility because we gave planning permission for that house.”
Meanwhile, small businesses affected by the flooding could be line for government payments of up to €20,000.
Details of temporary emergency humanitarian support for small businesses are expected to be announced today or tomorrow.
Businesses that were affected by flooding in the Shannon region in December 2015 and January 2016 were offered up to €20,000.