Martin Loughnan (Sep 25 2012)

There is a major problem with repeated severe flooding in the Millers Lane area of Skerries. The flooding occurs when the Mill Brook overflows, flooding the roadway and residences on Millers Lane, as well as cutting off all means of access to The Maltings estate. The overflow of The Brook also causes the Mill Pond to overflow, inundating the gardens - and, in some cases, entering the houses - of residents of The Maltings. The Mill Brook used to be dredged on an annual basis, but this practice has been discontinued in recent years - as has the practice of cutting back the vegetation overhanging the Brook. While a resumption of dredging would go some way towards dealing with this problem, the core issue is the volume of surface run-off water being dumped into The Brook - (eg. when the Mill View development behind The Kybe was built some years ago, the contractor ran a drainage pipe all the way across to The Brook to carry off excess surface water. How widespread was this practice?) It is also noticeable that the flooding has become more frequent since the Mill Pond was created in an area that was a natural wetland - raising the water table in the process. There is no evidence to suggest that Fingal County Council has any plans to deal with issue.