This time, and since the Babet storm flooded the house she shares with her partner, things are very different.

“The flood has completely changed my attitude and I am much more interested and engaged than last time,” said the 38-year-old legal executive.

This time, she wants to know exactly what different parties are going to do about a host of flood-related issues that she says need urgent attention.

She and her partner Aidan Murphy suffered around €90,000 worth of damage to their home on Midleton’s Tir Cluain estate when Storm Babet hit in October last year.

A wave of waist-deep dirty water swept through their home, destroying everything below the waterline.

Although they had flood insurance and were able to claim around €70,000, they have since lost their flood cover and have had to pay the balance owed in repairs from their meager savings.

“Even though there was a major flood in the town in 2015, our house was not flooded, and I didn’t think it would be flooded on a large scale again in Midleton,” she said. declared.

“On top of that, I thought the municipal flood relief program was being developed and would come online soon enough.

“To be honest, what happened to us was a wake-up call.

“Not only did we not think we would be affected by flooding, we just thought that when it did happen, we could count on the state to take action.

“It was effective, but not everyone benefited from it and the actions that were taken came to fruition very slowly.”

Party promises

What Fine Gael and Sinn Féin are offering people like Caroline in terms of election promises on flooding is not yet clear.

The same applies to smaller parties like Independent Ireland and Aontú, although the latter’s election candidate, Mona Stromsoe, has been very involved in defending residents in her role as chair of the Flood Action Group in Midleton and East Cork.

Based on their manifestos published to date, only Fianna Fáil and the Social Democrats have election commitments likely to please the Caroline Leahys of the world.

Fianna Fál, for example, promised that it would “accelerate the implementation of flood protection schemes, including tidal barriers and early warning systems”.

As well as lobbying on behalf of constituents affected by Storm Babet, TD James O’Connor has also repeatedly raised issues relating to the city’s flooding in the Dáil and with Ministers.

Separately, the Social Democrats say that, if elected, they will demand that state bodies first look at natural solutions upstream when considering works needed to deal with flooding and flood protection.

Their East Cork general election candidate, Liam Quaide, has been one of the most vocal local representatives in raising the issues surrounding the flooding in Midleton.

Caroline is very clear about what she wants to hear from anyone seeking her vote.

“Midleton needs to accelerate the current flood relief program,” she said.

“The fact that we won’t be able to put it into service before 2030 is not enough.

In the meantime, the State must put in place an early warning system. I know the council said it wasn’t possible. But I’m not a fan of “not possible”.

“I don’t know why other countries in the world can put in place early warning systems, but we seem unable to make them work in Ireland.” “Make no mistake,” she added. “Things are starting to happen and I have no doubt that everyone involved is doing their best. But as I discovered, everything seems to move at a snail’s pace.

She would also like to see better communication with residents on anything related to flood relief or mitigation.

“We had to fight tooth and nail to find out what was happening since Storm Babet,” she said. “But first and foremost, we need to see things done.

“The people of Midleton need to see shovelfuls of dirt. »