McCarthy anger at flood failures and says they will not be tolerated again

11.00.00am UTC (GMT +0000) Wed 20th Aug 2008

Alliance Chief Whip Kieran McCarthy MLA

Alliance Chief Whip Kieran McCarthy MLA has blasted the Stormont Executive for their two fundamental failures which led to the poor response from the authorities on tackling last weekend's floods. The Executive promised to create a single flood helpline after last June's flooding and failed to do so, and they refused to create an independent Environmental Protection Agency which would have delivered a stronger approach on tackling the causes and aftermath of flooding.

The Opposition MLA said: "I am deeply saddened and angry that the Executive promised to create a single flood emergency line following the crisis in June last year, yet over a year later this has not been delivered. This is a disgrace but unsurprising because we have come to expect that this Executive will fail to deliver.

"They have now said that the floodline will be delivered in October. Alliance will be keeping an eye on this and will hold them to account if they do not create the service by them.

"The second major failure by this Executive in relation to the flooding is that they refused to create an independent Environmental Protection Agency. Such an agency would provide a stronger and more effective approach to tackling the causes of flooding and dealing with the aftermath. This Executive has got to learn their lessons. If they do not, Northern Ireland will undoubtedly face even more problems if and when there is flooding in the future."

ENDS