Minister O’Donovan visits sites of flood relief schemes in Bandon, Clonakilty and Crookstown, Co. Cork

Patrick O’Donovan, T.D., Minister of State with responsibility for the Office of Public Works (OPW), visited Bandon, Clonakilty and Crookstown yesterday to see the progress made on flood relief projects in the county. Following his meetings with Cork County Council engineers, local representatives and members of the community at each of these stops, the Minister said:

“The OPW, in close collaboration with Cork County Council, has been working hard to provide badly needed flood relief schemes in these communities. It was therefore particularly satisfying to hear from the local residents and business owners I met today what a positive difference the flood relief schemes in Bandon and Clonakilty have made to their lives. I hope their experience will soon be shared by other communities elsewhere in the county that are still exposed today to flood risks.”

In Bandon, the Minister visited the site of the rock-ramp fish pass which was designed by international experts, with input from national experts in the then Department of Environment, Community and Local Government (DECLH), along with Inland Fisheries Ireland (IFI). The Minister viewed where emergency works undertaken by the OPW in April this year have resolved the initial issue posed by erosion of bed material at the upstream end of the fish pass, which became apparent in March this year, and the OPW is engaging with international experts to implement soon a longer term solution.

Members of the local Business Association seized the opportunity of the Minister’s visit to meet and thank him for investing in the town and its future. Although the OPW is still liaising with the Council Architect’s Office to consider possibilities of improving the look and feel of the scheme along the river banks, the flood relief scheme reached substantial completion last year and is operational, providing protection to 392 properties (177 residential and 215 commercial).

In Clonakilty, the Minister was delighted to learn that the town’s flood relief scheme, which was launched in 2014, is now substantially complete. The combination of flood management solutions the OPW has provided there are adaptable to future challenges climate change might pose, and the cross-agency collaboration on integrating the design of river defences into key public realm areas has enhanced the townscape and amenities. The result, a representative of the Clonakilty Business Association pointed out during the visit, is that the scheme has been very well-received by the local community and that many properties which had been affected by flooding in the past are now able to get insurance again.

In the village of Crookstown, Minister O’Donovan heard how the OPW-funding of €295,000 allocated in March this year under the Minor Flood Mitigation Works & Coastal Protection Scheme will enable Cork County Council to carry out minor embankment and improvement works, construct a flood defence, provide a storm water pumping station, new drainage pipes and to carry out associated work. These works will also benefit over 20 properties in the Belmont Estate previously affected by flooding of the River Bride in June 2012.

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