Tag Archives: flooding

SHANNON’S flood defences are not adequate, and unless €14.6 million is invested, a massive €693 million worth of damage could result. That is the conclusion of the report on the Shannon Town and Airport embankments, carried out on behalf of Clare County Council, the Office of Public Works and Shannon Group. The report warns, “There are considerable concerns regarding the adequacy of the existing embankment flood defences fronting both Shannon Town and Airport. The findings of the investigations undertaken for this report confirm that these concerns are justified. The embankments do not provide an adequate standard of protection from flooding from the Shannon Estuary.” It said that because of the hydraulic connectivity between the town and the airport, and the common flood risk, measures should be taken jointly by the three bodies. Regarding what works should be carried out, the report says, “The preferred method of providing an appropriate standard of defence to the two frontages is by the raising, …

AN €8.6 million flood relief scheme that will protect more than 120 homes, along with businesses and St Flannan’s College, in Ennis is being delayed as a result of a “contractural issue”. Clare County Council has confirmed that the preferred contractor for the Ennis South Flood Relief Scheme has formally withdrawn their tender and works are now not expected to begin until next year at the earliest. It had been anticipated that the project would get underway this summer. The scheme now has to be re-tendered “at the earliest juncture” and “works on the ground will most likely not commence until the spring of 2019,” the local authority stated. Councillor Johnny Flynn expressed disappointment at the delay in “this crucial piece of infrastructure”. The scheme represents the final phase of flood defence works in the town and includes the townlands of Clonroadmore, Ballybeg and Clareabbey, which suffered badly during the floods of 2009. Minister of State Pat Breen assured that …

Trains will be back operating on the Limerick to Ennis line from tomorrow, March 21 after the railway line was closed for several weeks due to flooding at Ballycar in Newmarket. The line has been closed since late January due to flooding at Ballycar. Iarnród Éireann said a test train will operate today, but no issues are expected. The railway track at Ballycar Lough has flooded on a number of occasions in recent years and this flooding has led to temporary closures of the railway line for extended periods of up to 20 weeks at a time. Flood waters rose to a maximum height of 1.60m above the railway track during some flood events, despite works which saw Iarnród Éireann has previously raised the track level by 60 centimetres at Ballycar in 2003 to mitigate against the effects of flooding. In addition to causing disruption to rail services, these flood events also caused disruption to the water supply to Newmarket …

  Clare’s principal emergency response agencies are advising schools to close and members of the public and services providers to avoid any non-urgent travel during Monday due to the Red Alert weather warning in place. The appeal has been issued following a meeting of the Inter Agency Co-ordination group in Ennis on Sunday morning. Clare County Council, An Garda Síochána and the HSE have discussed the necessary plans for responding to the Status Red weather warning.   The response is based on learning from previous adverse weather events. The agencies have expressed particular concern that the public would take every precaution to avoid unnecessary travel and take heed of ongoing updates from Met Éireann and Government agencies.  Hurricane Ophelia is expected to transition to a post tropical storm as it approaches Ireland on Monday bringing severe winds and stormy conditions. Mean wind speeds in excess of 80 km/h and gusts in excess of 130km/h are expected, potentially causing structural damage …

FRUSTRATION is being voiced this week as work on the Ennis South Flood Relief Scheme seems unlikely to begin for some months yet. Hopes that the work on the €4.7 million project would get underway in the middle of the year have already long been dashed. In a statement, Clare County Council stated that the matter is currently with the Office of Public Works (OPW). “Clare County Council has forwarded the tender report to the OPW, who are the funding authority for the project. The tender award process will proceed once approval is received from the OPW.” It is understood that work may not start on the project for another 10 weeks. Former Sinn Féin local and general election candidate Noeleen Moran contacted The Clare Champion this week after receiving a number of documents relating to the scheme under Freedom of Information. These indicate that it had actually been hoped work on the project would get underway as far back …

The Office of Public Works is to provide capital funding for flood protection measures for Springfield Clonlara and has also approved the preferred measures subject to a number of conditions. “The OPW has confirmed that the proposed CFRAM measure for Springfield, Clonlara may now be progressed by Clare County Council. The funding of the project costs will not fall under the Minor Works heading, but the work will be funded instead as a capital project under the OPW capital works programme. This is very welcome news,” said Minister for Trade, Employment, Business, EU Digital Single Market & Data Protection Pat Breen. “The favoured solution will now require more detailed project-level assessment and design before it can be confirmed as technically, economically and environmentally viable and suitable for progression through planning. In this regard, approval is being given in the first instance to bring the project forward with the undertaking of this necessary project-level assessment. “Once the project is confirmed to …

Clare County Council has moved to smooth the waters in relation to visual concerns concerning the proposed completion of Lahinch coastal repair works, costing in the region of €3 million. While a lot of protection work is almost completed opposite Seaworld and the car park, the Department of Heritage has expressed concern in relation to the visual concealment of the nearby protected structure during the second phase. The development comprises of repair works to the existing sea walls and access steps, a new 330m rock revetment structure along the length of the existing sea defences and revised surfacewater management proposals for the N67 national secondary road that would discharge to an outfall within the new rock armour protection. In addition, a small breakwater would be installed adjacent to the base of the stepped beach access. County councillors are being urged to support the repair and strengthening of the existing coastal defence revetment and seawall at the Old Promenade, Dough, Lahinch, …

THE idea of Shannon Airport being washed away by floods sounds like an Irish take on the disaster movie genre but, according to the Office of Public Works (OPW), if the cards fell in an unfortunate manner this year, more than €103 million worth of damage could be done. While the scenario is unlikely, the OPW has found that, in the event of a once-in-a-thousand-year flood, 21 buildings at the airport would be at risk, with overall potential damages of €103,237,626. It also says in the event of a mid-range event, damage could be in the region of €174m, rising to €289m in a high-end future scenario. In a statement this week, Shannon Airport said it is not overly worried about flooding but it is taking steps to protect what is a hugely important piece of regional infrastructure. “In its 70 years of operation, Shannon Airport has never closed for flood-related issues. We are liasing with the OPW and Clare …