Quick Read
- Enniscorthy, County Wexford, experienced its “worst flooding in a generation” on January 27, 2026, due to Storm Chandra.
- The River Slaney burst its banks, submerging the town center, cutting power, and forcing evacuations, including a family with a newborn.
- A €55 million flood relief scheme proposed in 2000 has been stalled for years over planning permission issues related to the protected freshwater pearl mussel.
- Local officials and politicians are calling for urgent legislative changes and the immediate enactment of the flood defence plan.
- The flooding is estimated to be the 16th such event in Enniscorthy since 2001, renewing demands for a national flood warning system.
ENNISCORTHY (Azat TV) – The town of Enniscorthy, County Wexford, was plunged into chaos on January 27, 2026, experiencing what locals described as its “worst flooding in a generation” as Storm Chandra caused the River Slaney to burst its banks. The severe weather led to widespread evacuations, cut power to thousands, and stranded numerous residents, including a young family with a newborn baby who had to be rescued from their apartment.
The crisis has reignited intense public frustration and political debate over a long-stalled €55 million flood relief scheme, which has been delayed for years due to planning permission issues related to the protected freshwater pearl mussel.
Town Centre Submerged, Homes Evacuated
As Storm Chandra battered the region, Enniscorthy’s main thoroughfare and town centre were completely submerged, leaving homes and businesses underwater. Local councillor Jackser Owens of Enniscorthy told The Journal that the situation was a “nightmare,” recounting the dramatic rescue of a family, including a newborn baby and the child’s grandmother, from their flooded apartment on the quay. Six volunteers and a boat from Slaney Search and Rescue safely evacuated them amid rising water levels.
“They were terrified but fair play to Search and Rescue volunteers, they did a fantastic job,” Owens stated, adding that he had “never seen anything like this” in his 71 years. Approximately 350 houses and numerous local businesses were directly impacted, with Enniscorthy also suffering a complete power outage, affecting around 5,500 homes, farms, and businesses primarily in the east of Ireland.
Decades-Long Delay for Flood Relief Scheme
The current disaster has brought the spotlight back onto a proposed flood relief scheme for Enniscorthy, first suggested in 2000 and allocated €55 million after further severe flooding in 2014. However, despite cross-party political support and no local objectors, the project has failed to secure planning permission.
Fine Gael Senator Cathal Byrne, who is based in Enniscorthy, explained on RTÉ’s News at One that a 2021 planning application was rejected because the protected freshwater pearl mussel was present in the River Slaney. This designation prevented crucial work such as dredging or the construction of glass walls, essential components of the flood defence plan. “People are frustrated. They’re fed up. They don’t understand how a scheme that has €55m allocated to it cannot get planning permission, and we really need to see legislative change in this area,” Byrne asserted.
Councillor Owens echoed this sentiment, arguing that “human beings are more important” than the freshwater pearl mussel and urging the scheme’s immediate enactment. He highlighted that residents in flood-prone areas often struggle to obtain insurance coverage.
Calls for Urgent Action and System Overhaul
Official data from the Office of Public Works indicated that the River Slaney nearly reached its record high water level of almost 4.7 metres, last seen during the notorious 2000 floods. Labour TD for Wexford, George Lawlor, estimated this to be the 16th time Enniscorthy has flooded since 2001, an occurrence he stated should “shame” the Government.
Lawlor criticized successive governments for failing to deliver necessary flood protection works, particularly as climate change leads to more frequent and severe storms. He called for an “overhaul” of emergency preparedness, including a national flood warning system to provide timely and reliable information to communities. Housing Minister James Browne, whose constituency includes Enniscorthy, acknowledged that “learnings will be taken” from the day’s events, while Environment Minister Darragh O’Brien noted ongoing work on a river flood warning system, expressing a desire to see its acceleration.
The severe flooding also caused wider disruptions across Ireland, with Dublin Airport experiencing flight cancellations and major road closures, including sections of the M50. Enniscorthy braced for a critical high tide expected at 5:30 pm, which local officials feared would exacerbate the already severe conditions, prompting Cathaoirleach of the Council Seán Kelly to question the adequacy of the Status Yellow wind warning issued for the storm.
The recurring and increasingly severe flooding in Enniscorthy underscores a critical national challenge where environmental protection mandates clash directly with urgent human safety and infrastructure needs, revealing a systemic failure to adapt policy and legislation to the accelerating impacts of climate change.