Contract signed for flood relief scheme

Clare County Council has confirmed it has signed a contract for the Lough Girroga Flood Relief Scheme adjacent to the Gort Road Business Park.  The scheme is designed to alleviate the flooding experienced in November 2009 due to the overflow of Lough Girroga during the severe weather crisis experienced at that time.
The proposed scheme, designed by Tobin Consulting Engineers, includes the construction of a weir and inlet structure in the floodplain of Lough Girroga and the laying of twin, large-diameter pipelines across the Gort Road through the business park and an outlet headwall to the River Fergus.  A further large pipeline will be laid through the northern access road of the business park.
The contract will be undertaken by Conwell Contracts ROI Limited, Lismalore, Brookeborough, Fermanagh, and has a total value of €206,000.  The contract is expected to commence next week and be completed early in 2013.
The Mayor of Ennis, Councillor Michael Guilfoyle, welcoming the commencement of the work stated, “The Gort Road Business Park is one of the major industrial areas in the town of Ennis, including major IDA-supported industries such as Organic Lens Manufacturing and Microsemi as well as a large number of smaller businesses, including many in the retail sector.  These works will give confidence to premises on the park that very significant measures have now been taken to offer significant flood relief in the event of a severe weather event similar to 2009 being experienced in the future.  I very much welcome commencement of the works and look forward to this further enhancement of the Gort Road Business Park as a location for new business to the town.”
The Lough Girroga Flood Relief Scheme is part of a range of schemes currently being progressed by Clare County Council and Ennis Town Council. Tom Tiernan, senior engineer, Clare County Council, stated, “The commencement of the Flood Relief Scheme at the Gort Road Business Park is just one of a number of very significant schemes being progressed throughout the Ennis area. 
“The Office of Public Works has progressed Phase 2 of the River Fergus Lower Drainage Scheme and are currently awaiting pre-contract documentation from the preferred bidder and should be in a position to proceed with the award of the contract, once same is received.  Schemes have also been progressed or are in planning for Fior Uisce, Watery Road, Elm Park and on the St Flannan’s/Tobarteascain Ballybeg Lake flood relief works.  Overall, these schemes involve a major investment by the local authorities and the Office of Public Works in addressing areas that have been susceptible to flooding in recent years.”
Industrialists on the Gort Road Business Park have been working with Ennis Town Council, Clare County Council and Shannon Development in recent years to progress issues relating to the estate. Pat Morris, chairman of the Gort Road Action Committee, stated, “We have had some very fruitful discussions with the council and statutory agencies in an effort to address many issues on the Gort Road Business Park.  The most significant issue of concern to businesses in the park has been the implementation of a relief scheme to deal with the problems that were experienced in November 2009. 
“We are very pleased that this contract is about to commence and while we expect there will be some level of disruption during the construction period, that the completed scheme will be of major benefit to the park for the future. 
“We will, through the Gort Road Action Committee, work closely with the contractors and their agents to minimise any disruption and ensure that all businesses on the park and their customers can continue to enjoy access at all times during the contract,”  he said.