ALMOST a year after it was damaged by Storm Desmond, a wall near a bridge in Kesh is still in disrepair and a pathway and car park adjacent to it remain closed.
When torrential rain and strong winds hit last December part of a derelict building used for storage collapsed into the river in the village prompting the Police Service of Northern Ireland to close off the area. The remains of the building was taken away but a retaining wall that runs underneath the car park which was also damaged has not been fixed 12 months on.
Infrastructure Minister Chris Hazzard says there is nothing his Department can do about it.
“This wall is not a flood defence asset and so my Department cannot repair this damage,” he said, in a letter to Democratic Unionist councillor David Mahon last month.
And nor will Minister Hazzard meet with the Erne North representative.
“As Rivers Agency has no remit to undertake repairs at this site I do not feel a meeting would be beneficial at this time,” he said. 
Representatives of Rivers Agency met with local political representatives, including Councillor Mahon and Mr. Neville Armstrong of the Kesh Community Group a number of months ago and advised that the Agency has no responsibility for the retaining wall adjacent to the footbridge and the road bridge. A suggestion was made that Kesh Community Group should seek the services of a structural engineer for advice on the issue. 
Vicky Bratton who works in Kesh says the issue has sparked complaints.
“People are complaining about it all the time. It’s an eyesore, a total eyesore,” she said. 
“It’s like this for a long time,” said Michelle McElhill. “You can’t get parked now because it is all cordoned off. To get around it you have to walk on the road, so it would be dangerous.”
Councillor Mahon has told this newspaper that he wants the matter resolved. 
“December is looming, a year since winter storms hit. We cannot accept another holiday season with the bridge closed, it is just not acceptable. I have been contacted by many locals asking why it has not been fixed and why is it taking so long. 
“Another winter could yet again have very drastic effects on the bridge area. We have been exceptionally fortunate that nobody has been injured or there have been no fatalities as a result of the dangerous and precarious position of the bridge. I fear that another storm could cause further damage resulting in further damage or perhaps worse, damage to other property or injury. The Kesh community have waited and waited for action to be taken. Enough is enough. The people of Kesh need action,” he said.