Winter storms leave Kerry facing bill for millions to repair damage

Three winter storms have left Kerry county facing a bill for millions to repair damaged piers and carry out coastal protection works.

A reassessment of damage to sections of the national road network in the county is also being sought by Kerry County Council after some critical access routes were closed due to flooding.

“The entire road network has suffered significant damage,” David Doyle, the council’s senior engineer, told a meeting of the Tralee Municipal.

Potholes and drainage problems are major issues being examined on the county’s roads.

In all, access to over 500 homes was cut off, and urban areas in some leading tourist towns experienced some of the worst effects of one deluge after another, the meeting heard.

Mr Doyle outlined how the worst-affected areas included three of Kerry’s largest towns: Lake and riverside roads in the heart of Killarney, the town square and car park in Kenmare, and severe damage in the village of Glenflesk on the N22, the main road to Cork.

In Tralee, the new bypass had to be closed due to flooding in the first of he code red events of December 4 and 5.

“Sections of key access routes in the county including the N22 Killarney/Cork Road, the R569 to Kenmare, the N71 Killarney to Kenmare Road over Molls Gap, the N70 Castlemaine Road in Tralee, the Tralee bypass were closed as well as a significant number of local and urban roads,” Mr Doyle said.

Kenmare was essentially cut off for a whole weekend, he said.

The rainfall recorded had varied significantly in the first weather event, with less than 50mm at Valentia and Ardfert. Weather gauges around Tralee showed between 77mm and 114mm over a 36-hour period.

The water level recorded on the River Lee at Ballymullen was the highest since gauges were installed in 1975.

The cost of the damage to roads is estimated at €860,00 to mid-December, with a further €607,000 in damage between December 19 and 30.

Significant money is required for coastal works. Coastal protection works on the Tralee/Fenit regional road will require €250,000 .

Coastal works at Rossbeigh and at Ballyheigue will cost a further €1m and a new road at Rossbeigh €1.1m, Mr Doyle said. Ballingskelligs pier was damaged and repairs are estimated at €160,00.

Details of the extent of the flooding were being submitted to the OPW.

“The national primary road N22 at Glenflesk, sections of the N72 at Beaufort and the N71 at Muckross had to be closed during these events. Sections of the national network, critical for access, will be reassessed with Transport Infrastructure Ireland,” Mr Doyle said.