'No timeline' for works to restore historic Cork weir, OPW says

Restoration of weir in Ballincollig park 'subject to an assessment of planning, structural, fisheries and cultural heritage considerations', Office of Public Works said

Weir in regional park in Ballincollig had been in disrepair for many years before a breach occurred in December 2014, which left the weir in extremely poor condition.

The Office of Public Works (OPW) has admitted it has no timeline for potential repairs to an historic River Lee weir which collapsed in 2014.

It comes 18 months after OPW Minister Patrick O’Donovan visited the structure in the regional park in Ballincollig, Cork, to inspect the damage and committed to explore potential solutions to reinstate it. The works could cost up to €1m.

The minister defended the delay and said this kind of work takes time and is ultimately subject to a complex planning process, over which the OPW has no control.

But he said: "Delivering new public realm, or upgrading existing public realm as part of future flood defence schemes is the policy direction I want to pursue."

In June 2021, Mr O’Donovan said the OPW would investigate whether the badly-needed repairs to the weir could be done in association with the proposed Lower Lee Flood Relief Scheme (LLFRS)— the largest flood defence scheme in the history of the state.

He stressed at the time that while there were no hydraulic benefits to the flood relief scheme from the weir, the LLFRS steering group had agreed to assess the feasibility of incorporating any remedial works to the weir into the flood defence scheme.

In response to queries from the Irish Examiner this week, the OPW said it had committed to incorporate remedial works to the weir into the construction contract and budget for the LLFRS “if appropriate”.

But it said the nature of any such remedial works would be subject to an assessment of planning, structural, fisheries and cultural heritage considerations, which the LLFRS steering group had asked the scheme’s design consultants, contracted by the OPW, to review.

“The consultants’ proposal to undertake a preliminary feasibility assessment and constraints study for the reinstatement of Ballincollig weir has been approved but no timeline is available for this work at this time,” it said.

The weir was built in 1795 to provide a head of water for a network of canals associated with the manufacture of gunpowder in the adjoining Royal Gunpowder Mills complex.

It had been in disrepair for many years before a breach occurred in December 2014, which left the weir in extremely poor condition, and which contributed to the draining of the park’s canals.

It is in the ownership of Cork City Council since the city boundary change in June 2019.

A local campaign group was established in 2021 to push for repairs.

The Weir Restoration Committee said it wants to see the full restoration of the weir and by extension the sluice gate, canal systems and mill races.

“This will most importantly make the weir area of the river safe again but will also save a part of Ballincollig’s identity and history," they said. 

"The ecological impact has been devastating and hopefully not beyond salvation if the water is returned to what was once the wetlands."