Angry Parnell Square resident confronts Taoiseach

"They're not listening, he just walked off there, you saw what he did. All he wanted was just pure publicity, he doesn't care," the angry words of one Parnell Square resident last Thursday, after she labelled the Taoiseach's brief visit to see the effects of flooding in the area a "show" for the cameras. Gillian McArdle, who lives in Parnell Square, was speaking after confronting Brian Cowen to give him posters looking for flood protection barriers and appeal to him to look at effects of the record water levels on the Shannon on her home. "We need help," she told Brian Cowen offering him waders to make his way through the estate however, he declined after looking at one house, telling her he had to get back to Dublin but "we are going to do all we can". A fuming Gillian McArdle stated: "All it is a publicity stunt. If it wasn't for the neighbours helping each other, a lot of my age helping the elderly we would be even worse off". "He won't even get his feet wet. We asked if he wanted to get in to the boat to see the floods but he said he hadn't gone time now. We don't have time for this flooding but we have no choice. He walked off there, you saw him". Wiping away a tear as she spoke to members of the media, Ms McArdle continued: "My extension is flooded and it is coming up through the floor boards. The front and back of the house is completely flooded, I can't get in or out of my house without waders. All my neighbours are completely flooded". She said an added problem for residents is sewerage now coming to the houses, a view shared by her neighbour Stacey Carpenter and other residents gathered in the estate on Thursday. "What we needed was for him to have a look and spend more time to see how the people are suffering," Stacey stated "I asked Brian Cowen if he had a strategy for preventing or managing the floods in the future and he didn't have an answer. That what residents really want particularly the part that floods here every year." Both residents paid tribute to the council for their hard work in the estate, singling for Cllr Kevin 'Boxer' Moran for particular praise for assistance during the flood relief effort, and highlighting the community effort to alleviate the effects of the disaster on the area. "If not for the people, friends and family on this street, everything would be destroyed," Gillian concluded.