Posted on June 4, 2018
By Lynda Kiernan, Leinster Express
Not a cent of the €9 million recently announced for new flood defences in three Laois towns, will be used for dredging or cleaning rivers.
The €9m Flood Risk Management cash to prevent further flooding in Mountmellick, Portarlington and Clonaslee was welcomed by Laois county councillors at the April meeting, but they wanted to get rivers dredged to hold more water.
Cllr Tom Mulhall said that the €9 million was a waste “if water is not flowing in rivers”.
“I welcome the €9 million, but it should not be just thrown at the problem, it should be well spent. I would like to see a lot going to dredging rivers,” he said.
The river Barrow flows through the part of Laois where he is a councillor, in the Portarlington Graiguecullen Municipal District.
“The Barrow flows a long way through north Laois and tributaries flow into it. There’s silt and bushes in it. You’ve got to keep the centre of the river deep, to keep water flowing and clean. There will be a lot of this money going to waste if we don’t have proper dredging,” said Cllr Mulhall.
“I wouldn’t like the words ‘going to waste’,” said the Cathaoirleach Cllr Padraig Fleming.
The money is not allocated to dredging, Laois County Council said.
“There is no separate budget for dredging rivers, there is no dredging with this,” the Director of Services Kieran Kehoe stated.
Detailed designs for flood prevention works are now underway for the towns.
“This money is purely for capital works. It will be advanced under one brief, with a consultant. It will be done as fast as we can,” he said.
Cllr Ben Brennan said that a Laois business in Killeshin has had to close down when the nearby Fuisheog river breaks its banks.
“A business that employs 10 people has to close its doors because of flooding. The Barrow needs dredging so the Fuisheog can flow in. Lambert Hygiene had to rise their floor. Businesses like that shouldn’t be closing,” he said.
Cllr Paddy Bracken is from Mountmellick which is getting €3.14 for flood defences.
“We are all part of the same catchment area, I agree with Cllr Mulhall, we need a programme of cleaning,” he said.
Cllr Willie Aird agreed.
“Whatever hope we have, is to dredge rivers. It is important in the likes of towns like Portlaoise. I haven’t seen the Triogue dredged in years. As a youngster, dredging would be going on the whole time,” he said.
The €9m for Laois was announced in May by Minister Charlie Flanagan, part of 50 new countrywide flood relief schemes to proceed to detailed design and construction, with total funding of €257m. Overall, €1 billion will be invested in flood risk management measures over the coming decade.
Source: Leinster Express
