The Office of Public Works (OPW) minister plans to meet the man behind the first early warning flood alert system of its kind in Ireland to glean whether it can be used by local authorities in the future. Kevin 'Boxer' Moran wants to meet Midleton businessman Colin James, who set up the Midleton Early Warning System (MEWS) after Storm Babet devastated the East Cork town in 2023. It was inspired by New Zealand’s tsunami early warning network, which tracks sea-level changes and provides real-time data as events unfold. However, Cork County Council has said early flood warning systems for the East Cork town are unworkable. The council did not respond to a query on whether it had changed its position about the viability of early flood warning systems for Midleton.

Source: Irish Examiner January 01, 2026 12:00 UTC