Sinn Féin MEP Chris MacManus has welcomed a commitment from the European Commission to engage with the National Parks and Wildlife Service regarding critical flooding issues around Lough Funshinagh in County Roscommon.
The Midlands-North-West MEP was speaking after a meeting he had arranged between representatives from the Lough Funshinagh Flood Crisis Committee and the EU Commission Director for Biodiversity, Humberto Delgado Rosa, alongside his Sinn Féin colleague and Roscommon-Galway TD Claire Kerrane. The meeting was held on Monday, 12th of February.
MEP MacManus said: “We impressed upon the Commission officials the devastating impact of the flooding on the local community and the damage caused to local homes, farms, and the environment, and the urgency of finding a solution.
“It was very positive to hear Director Delgado Rosa indicate that the EU’s Habitats Directive should not prevent emergency work taking place to protect the SAC and that it should not take several years for an appropriate assessment to take place. He also agreed to engage with the National Parks and Wildlife Service on these issues, which is very welcome”
MEP MacManus said that it is crucial that the NPWS accelerate this process so that a solution can be implemented as soon as possible.
He pledged to continue to work with Deputy Claire Kerrane and the local community to press for a solution and to prevent further devastation to the area in question.
Deputy Claire Kerrane said: “I would call on the NPWS to engage on the ground. It is essential that the solution on the table is progressed without any further delay. Families affected by this long-running issue have to come first. This has gone on for far too long”.
