The Government insisted that “people are more important than fish” as a minister vowed that all river dredging options will be examined in a bid to ease the severity of flooding.

But Office of Public Works (OPW) Minister Simon Harris warned that dredging cannot be undertaken in areas where it might interfere legally with long-delayed flood relief projects such as Bandon in West Cork.

He also warned any dredging would have to be undertaken “within the law” given environmental issues including the protection of fish stocks.

Irish Independent 16/12/2015  Read the article ‘People more important than fish – minister’