An elderly wheelchair user and his extended family have been trapped in their homes after heavy rain washed away a bridge leading to their homes.
The O Duibhir family from An Bun Beag in Gaoth Dobhair awoke this morning to find heavy rain had burst the banks of the nearby River Clady.
The heavy swell washed away a bridge leading to the extended family’s three homes being cut off from the main road.
John ‘Mor’ O Duibhir, who is in his 70s, requires constant care and receives three home helps to his home.
His son Sean said the family are trapped in their homes and need help as soon as possible.
“We simply cannot get in or out in our cars. We’re trapped. My father receives visits from the home help services and they will not be able to drive here either.
“This has happened a few times before but this is the worst I have seen it. The bridge is completely gone.
“We need this fixed once and for all so that this does not happen.
“We have spent a lot of our own money fixing this over the years but now the job needs to be done properly,” said Sean who is a part-time fireman.”
Local county councillor Micheal Mac Giolla Easbuig visited the family and has contacted both Minister Joe McHugh’s office as well as Minister Boxer Moran’s office as well as Deputy Thomas Pringle.
He told Donegal Daily “This is not something that can wait a few weeks and a patch-up job done on it. I have been in touch with Donegal County Council and they are acting.
“But we need something done from the top on this situation and we need this bridge sorted immediately for these families.
“John O Duibhir needs home helps each day as he is in a wheelchair and we need to have access to these houses reinstated as soon as possible.
“After that, we need to make sure that a new bridge is built so that this does not simply happen again this winter,” he said.
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