CASTLECONNELL is to be reassessed for flood protection, members of Limerick City and County Council were told this week.
During an Office of Public Works (OPW) presentation on the Draft Flood Risk Management Plan (DFRMP), councillors heard that Castlleconnel had not been originally one of the areas listed for flood management plans, but was now included in a list of areas which will need further assessment.
The situation in Castleconnell, which saw three instances of extreme flooding in 2009, 2014 and 2015, warranted the area being reviewed as a flood risk.
OPW Assistant Chief Engineer, Mark Adamson, told the meeting that nine areas in Limerick have been proposed for protection, Limerick City, Adare, Askeaton, Newcastlewest, Rathkeale, Foynes, Croom, Montpellier and Athea
He said that the draft plan had identified 500 schemes around the country that local authorities could implement and they would be funded up to a cost of €500,000.
Four options had been looked at to reduce the flooding along the entirely of the Shannon, Mr Adamson said.
“All of them were very expensive. The problem we have with the Shannon is the sheer volume of water. For instance, we looked at draining water off and holding it in the cut-away bogs in the midlands. We discovered they would all be full in one day”.
Local public consultations on the plan have been held in LImerick in August and September and members of the public have until September 23 to make submission to the OPW.
Local authorities are also entitled to make submissions but they have until October 16, Mr Adamson said.
Councillors expressed concerns about certain aspects of the draft.
Cllr Noel Gleeson (FF) said that he was not happy that his proposal to dig a channel from the Shannon to the sea to drain off the flood water was not considered. I am proposing it again now”, he said.
Mr Adamson said that the scale of such a proposal was prohibitively expensive.
Cllr Liam Galvin (FG) expressed concerns about what listing areas as being at risk of flooding would mean for people’s insurance payments.
“We have to handle this with care and think carefully about where we designate as being a flood risk,” he said.
Cllr Joe Leddin (Lab) was critical of the number of agencies involved in managing the rivers and the flood waters.
“There’s Waterways Ireland, there’s the council, there’s the OPW – there was such confusion last Christmas about whose job it was to open a gate, that the house by the canal flooded”.
Several councillors asked why there is no programme in place to dredge rivers and stop the silting up of waterways.
Bernie English has been working as a journalist in national and local media for more than thirty years. She worked as a staff journalist with the Irish Press and Evening Press before moving to Clare. She has worked as a freelance for all of the national newspaper titles and a staff journalist in Limerick, helping to launch the Limerick edition of The Evening Echo. Bernie was involved in the launch of The Clare People where she was responsible for business and industry news.
A NEW exhibition hoping to inspire and encourage the scientific minds of tomorrow is currently on display at Mary Immaculate College.
The Regeneron Future Scientist...
This website uses cookies to improve your experience. We'll assume you're ok with this, but you can opt-out if you wish.AcceptRejectRead More
Privacy & Cookies Policy
Privacy Overview
This website uses cookies to improve your experience while you navigate through the website. Out of these cookies, the cookies that are categorized as necessary are stored on your browser as they are essential for the working of basic functionalities of the website. We also use third-party cookies that help us analyze and understand how you use this website. These cookies will be stored in your browser only with your consent. You also have the option to opt-out of these cookies. But opting out of some of these cookies may have an effect on your browsing experience.
Necessary cookies are absolutely essential for the website to function properly. This category only includes cookies that ensures basic functionalities and security features of the website. These cookies do not store any personal information.
Any cookies that may not be particularly necessary for the website to function and is used specifically to collect user personal data via analytics, ads, other embedded contents are termed as non-necessary cookies. It is mandatory to procure user consent prior to running these cookies on your website.