Cork flood defence plan due by year’s end

Improved river defences, facilities for storing floodwater, and changes to the way that Cork’s dams operate are some of the proposals to be examined as part of the city’s €100m flood relief programme.

OPW Minister Brian Hayes told a conference in Cork yesterday that a public consultation process on the flood proposals will be held at City Hall on July 17 and July 29. December has been set as the deadline for the final scheme to be unveiled.

Ken Leary of Arup Consulting Engineers said there were many “potential solutions” to Cork’s flooding problems and described the “potential to reduce peak flow” at the ESB dams at Inniscarra and Carrigadrohid as an important consideration in these plans.