City flood defence project to be fast-tracked by OPW

THE Office of Public Works is fast-tracking a two-pronged flood-defence project for Cork city, it emerged last night.

“It has been decided that there is sufficient confidence in the viability of the proposed measures to proceed directly to the commissioning of a consultant,” the OPW said in a report to Cork City Council.

The consultant will design localised flood defences in at-risk zones and combine it with changes to the way the ESB manages its River Lee dams to help protect the city from flooding.