OPW to fast-track Clonakilty flood work
However, locals, who last night were sandbagging their homes and businesses following further Met Éireann alerts, want interim measures to protect their properties in the meantime.
On Jun 28, 70 houses and over 100 businesses were seriously flooded in the town, which has experienced two floods since.
But a 30-point plan devised by the town and county councils to reduce flood risks in the interim may be at odds with what the OPW sees as a long-term solution.
The name Michael Collins is revered in these parts. No doubt locals will be hoping the War of Independence hero’s namesake, who is in charge of the OPW project, will prove the Big Fella when it comes to bringing them “freedom” from floods.
“We’d hope to come up with a set of measures to protect Clonakilty to an acceptable level against tidal and river flooding,” the OPW assistant chief engineer said yesterday.
He was speaking at a public information-gathering meeting in the town, which was attended by hundreds of people.
The best-case scenario is that work will start by the end of next year.
“Typically works like this take 18 months to two years to complete for towns of this size,” said Mr Collins.
He met members of the Clonakilty Chamber of Commerce Flood Committee, who came armed with a blueprint “to solve the nine flood flashpoint areas” in the town.
Its chairman Ger Harte, who owns 11 business premises at Harte Courtyard, said the livelihoods of 100 people working there were in jeopardy if further floods caused more havoc.
“Three [low-lying] areas need immediate emergency work. We’re looking at a cost of a couple of hundred thousand euro. The whole flood relief project is expected to cost up to €10m.”
Robert Walsh, who moved his printing firm to higher ground following the June flood, said they’d put a lot of time into preparing “a route map” of the course of the flooding that day and was hoping the OPW would take the suggestions on board.
Cllr Donal O’Rourke welcomed the OPW fast-track response, but was concerned interim measures might not be accepted until a permanent solution had been decided.
Cllr Declan Hurley said he was concerned that Inland Fisheries Ireland, Coillte and the National Parks and Wildlife Service were not at the public meeting and could throw a spanner in the works when it came to planned remedial works in or around the river.
County engineer Noel O’Keeffe said suggested interim measures could not be allowed if they potent-ially compromised the overall plan. He said he was in favour of increasing the size of storm water drains, adding additional drainage outlets to the sea and ensuring drains were regularly cleared of debris.
