Flood defence improvement to the tune of €150,000

THE Office of Public Works (OPW) have pledged €150,000 to improve local flood defences.
In an email this week, the OPW stated, “The Shannon Airport River Defences are allocated €150,000 to strengthen some 155m of the critical embankment using a rock armour revetment in front of the existing embankment.”
The move was welcomed by Clare TD Pat Breen who said getting resources at the present time is very positive. “There is work needed on the embankments so this money is very welcome. It is a very difficult time to get resources and this will help to strengthen 155m of the critical embankment.”
Funding has also been provided for works to combat coastal erosion at Quilty, bringing the allocation to projects in Clare to over €220,000.
Senator Tony Mulcahy also said the funding was welcome and the importance of keeping the embankments in good condition must be borne in mind. “Any money that is allocated in the current climate is very welcome. As we know, Shannon is below sea level and in the last few winters, we have seen the danger of serious flooding in various places. The money is certainly very welcome.”
Town and county councillor Sean McLoughlin said it is important embankments be kept in very good condition. “Shannon is very dependent on embankments as it is under water level. It’s good that the OPW are prepared to make this investment.”
He said the embankments haven’t been breached since they were put in the place decades ago but he said they are still checked very regularly.
Councillor Patricia McCarthy also said she was very pleased the allocation was coming and work would be carried out.
A spokesman for Clare County Council echoed Councillor McCarthy’s response. He said the council had been told only this week that money would be made available and while he isn’t sure when work will get underway, he expected it to be quite soon.
Given that Shannon is so low lying, the issue of flooding is always pertinent and in the Mid-West Draft Regional Planning Guidelines, the importance of defence measures was referred to.
“OPW data suggests that a very large section of Shannon, including the airport runway and parts of the industrial estate are located in areas protected from flooding by artificial embankments and drainage system. The area has a total employment of over 10,000 jobs or roughly 10% of the Mid-West economy. In the context of rising tide levels associated with global warming, these defences will require to be reviewed by the planning and other responsible authorities.”
In September of 2008, town councillor Tony McMahon expressed his concern about some of the defences by the airport. He claimed that some embankments near the airport weren’t up to the job. “If severe weather conditions attacked it doesn’t strike me that they would be satisfactory.” At the time, town manager Ger Dollard said Shannon had stood up well to extreme weather conditions and works carried out in the preceding years had helped to prevent flooding.