Tag Archives: flooding

A total of €4.71 million in funding for the Ennis South Flood Relief Scheme has been approved by the Office of Public Works. The money will be made available to Clare County Council when it addresses some technical aspects of the scheme. The scheme will involve extensive flood alleviation work to the St Flannan’s and Ballybeg streams in the Clonroadmore, Ballybeg and Clareabbey areas of Ennis and Clarecastle. “There are some residual matters that require further consideration by the council and its consultants prior to implementation of the scheme. The offer of funding has been made on the basis that the council addresses and satisfies itself in relation to these matters prior to entering into any binding contractual commitments,” explained Clare TD, Joe Carey. Responding to a parliamentary question from Deputy Carey last month, Public Expenditure Minister Paschal Donohue acknowledged that discussions relating to technical aspects of the scheme had impacted on progress but he expected that the OPW would …

The stretch of waterway from Limerick city to Parteen Weir has been closed to navigation due to continuing infrastructural deficiencies as a result of the winter storms and subsequent flooding. The navigation remains closed and users are advised to stay clear of the damaged facilities in the area. Waterways Ireland has limited resources and has had to prioritise its interventions in those areas of greatest need and use. Following inspections of the floating breakwater and the waiting jetties a number of design solutions have been advanced to repair and re-instate the infrastructure. Works are commencing this week and it is expected that navigation in Limerick will be re-opened in three to four weeks.

THE new Government has been urged to put in place an accessible compensation package to enable residents in South-East Clare restore their flood-hit properties. A local Sinn Féin activist has also called on the new administration to ensure that insurance companies will not be allowed to abdicate their responsibilities by compensating householders who have the necessary policy in place and should continue to give them cover in the future. In a wide-ranging address to the Sinn Féin Ard Fheis on Saturday, Margaret O’Connor claimed several insurance companies are now refusing to cover people in entire regions because they are what has been described as “designated flood zones”, even though they have never been flooded or are never likely to be flooded. Prior to the Sinn Féin Ard Fheis, the East Clare cumann member spoke to members of the Quinlivan family in Springfield, Clonlara, who are only getting back on their feet with much work on their house still to be …

With the flood waters finally beginning to recede, Iarnród Éireann expects water levels to have dropped sufficiently for a mid May reopening of the railway line between Limerick and Ennis. Extensive flooding on the line at Ballycar had forced the closure of the rail link since last December. Since then bus transfers were in operation between Limerick and Ennis, with a limited service for Sixmilebridge Station, for the duration of the closure. The line flooded following a significant increase in water levels at Ballycar Lough due to the heavy rainfall in December and January, and the nature of inflows and outflows from the lough due to the karst landscape in the area. While the intense rainfall ceased in January, inflows caused flood levels at Ballycar to peak in early March at 1.4 metres above the rail line. This has now fallen to 0.9 metres above the line, with 1.75 miles of track remaining flooded, and Iarnród Éireann forecast that – unless further extreme …

Pope Francis has South Galway in his “prayerful concern”, according to a letter from the Apolostic Nuncio to a local General Election candidate. Independent candidate in the Galway East constituency, Councillor Michael Fahy, contacted Archbishop Charles J Brown about the hardship caused by flooding in South Galway throughout December and January. Last week, he received a letter from Archbishop Brown stating that he had personally assessed the “terrible flooding” in the area when he was there last month. “I have informed Pope Francis about the flooding and I can assure you of his prayerful concern for all the people who have suffered the effects of this very distressing situation,” the letter said. Councillor Fahy told The Clare Champion that he was very moved by the contents of the letter. “I might as well be honest, it made me that little bit emotional to see that the Pope has recognised the conditions that people were going through. Please God, God will …

The ESB has advised that the flow of water through Parteen Weir will remain at 230 cubic metres per second today (Tuesday) and there will be a review of the situation tomorrow. This level of water flow will continue to have associated flooding to land and property in the vicinity of the Shannon downstream of Parteen Weir including the areas of Springfield, Montpelier, Castleconnell, Mountshannon (Annacotty) and the University of Limerick. This may leave other areas between Parteen Weir and Limerick also vulnerable to flooding due to local issues. ESB is continuing to monitor the situation and is liaising with the relevant county councils.

Clare County Council is warning of the risk of further coastal flooding on this Monday evening because of a high tide coinciding with the sea surge and continuing strong winds from Storm Imogen. High Tide is forecast for 5.30pm on the Clare coast and the Shannon Estuary. The Council is warning members of the public to avoid exposed coastal locations and roads affected by flooding on Monday morning. Flooding occurred at a number of locations along the Clare coastline due to a combination of a significant storm surge, strong westerly winds and a high tide at 5.15am. The worst affected locations on Monday afternoon are at Kilcredaun and Rinvella near Carrigaholt, Ross Bay, Marine Parade in Kilkee, White Strand (Miltown Malbay), Lahinch promenade and carpark, and at Doolin Pier carpark. Council staff are working throughout the West Clare Municipal District to remove storm debris from the affected locations and to carry out necessary repairs to damaged infrastructure.

TRANSPORT Infrastructure Ireland has refuted claims that the risk of flooding in the area was not taken into account when the Gort to Tuam motorway was being designed. Transport Infrastructure Ireland (TII) has stated that motorways are designed and built to maintain the existing flood levels in the area in which they are constructed, with the principle aim being not to compound the existing conditions. “Therefore, the M17/M18 motorway design has to cater for the existing conditions. Under OPW’s design guidance, the M17/M18 motorway has an additional 20% design capacity above and beyond the existing conditions to take into account current climate change events. “It should also be noted that the national motorway network remained open during the most recent extreme weather events. Will motorway/road design always be climate-change proof? The answer is in the question; climate change will drive the design criteria into the future,” said Sean O’Neill, spokesperson. TII was responding to claims by hydrologist Professor Paul Johnson that …