‘When am I ever going to return home?’

Michael Spence’s home at Knocknadonagh was so badly flooded four months ago following a freak downpour on June 27 that £100,000 of damage was caused and his family including his wife Vera who suffers from COPD, were forced to leave and have been unable to return.

Then last week following another particularly heavy rainfall, during renovation work to floors and plastering of walls, further damage was caused.

Michael estimated that up to £20,000 of damage was caused to the five bedroomed bungalow this time.

He said that he was so annoyed as he had been promised at a meeting with the Department of Regional Development that a blocked culvert which he blames for the recent flooding, would be fixed.

“I met with the authorities after my home was flooded the last time and was assured that whatever was causing the flood would be fixed,” he said.

“My insurance company will simply not want to know this time. They will not touch with this a barge pole.”

Michael along with his family, that also includes his two grown up sons and daughter, have lived in the house for the past 14 years but said that it is an absolute disgrace.

“We met with the authorities and they all said that it would be fixed and now this has happened,” said Michael. “When am I ever going to return back home again?” They promised me the world and then this happens. I cannot cope again. All the work that was done to get us ready to move back in has been destroyed.

“I just thought we were getting back on our feet again and returning home again and now this. I worry what will happen if I ever get back in again what will happen, then?”

He said that during recent downpours he has seen rain coming down the Ballyclough Road like a river taking off the tarmac

“This has been my home for the past 14 years and do not want to have to leave it,” he said. “I was promised that it would be sorted out. Will it ever be sorted out. My wife Vera suffers from COPD and not a bit well. She cannot go into the house unless the house is completely dried out, I don’t know when that will be. It is an absolute disgrace.”

A spokesperson for the DRD said: “The culvert adjacent to Mr Spence’s property has been checked by Roads Service and it is free from obstruction. A recent CCTV survey showed obstructions in the drainage system further downstream which have been removed. The survey also identified a potential issue with a privately owned culverted system further downstream from this location. Rivers Agency will investigate the condition of the culverted system downstream of Mr Spence’s property to determine if there are any further blockages or obstructions and will report back to Mr Spence.”