Kevin ‘Boxer’ Moran, Minister of State for the Office of Public Works (OPW) and Flood Relief, was in Donegal today where he met with officials from Donegal County Council to put in place arrangements for the advancement of flood relief schemes in Donegal.
The Minister said
”, I am delighted to be here in Donegal today and to meet with Donegal County Council. We have had a very fruitful meeting and we have agreed mechanisms for the progression of flood relief schemes as a priority for Lifford, Burnfoot, Castlefin, Carrowkeel, Downings and Glenties. A scheme for Lifford estimated to cost some €6 million will be advanced by the OPW while schemes for Burnfoot and Castlefin costing some €1.5 million and €1.75 million respectfully will be advanced by Donegal County Council in collaboration with the OPW. These schemes are in addition to the scheme at Raphoe which is presently being advanced to exhibition”.
As a result of the severe flooding in August 2017, the OPW took the decision to undertake a review of Burnfoot. This review which has recently been completed, examined the details of the August 2017 flood event and the more recent events of December 2017. The review included the hydrology of the area, updating the hydraulic model, revising the flood maps and re-assessing the options (including costs and benefits).
The Minister said,
“The outcome of the review of Burnfoot is that it has a positive cost to benefit ratio. This paves the way for the advancement of a flood relief scheme as a priority with Donegal County Council taking the scheme through the planning process”.
The Minister went on to say,
“The OPW is also to provide the funding for the flood relief schemes to be undertaken by Donegal County Council at Downings (estimated to cost some €870,000), at Glenties (estimated to cost some €550,000) and at Carrowkeel (estimated to cost some €30,000). Additional engineering resource is also to be taken on by Donegal County Council to progress the schemes and I have committed to the provision of funding to the Council accordingly”.
In relation to Ballybofey-Stranorlar, the Minister said,
“I have approved an application by Donegal County Council for €175,000 under the OPW’s Minor Flood Relief Works and Coastal Protection Scheme for the area. This approval will facilitate some interim measures to protect vulnerable areas of Ballybofey, necessary clearance works on the existing river embankment, a geotechnical assessment of the existing embankment and recommendations for measures to bring the embankment to a standard that protects the benefiting properties against the 1 in 100 flood event”.
The Minister concluded, “The Government is providing investment of €1 billion on flood relief over the next decade under Project Ireland 2040, our national development plan and it is committed to ensuring that the planning and delivery of flood relief solutions is achieved in the shortest possible timeframe. Significant progress has been made today in the advancement of flood relief schemes in Donegal. In partnership with Donegal County Council, I look forward to the delivery of these schemes as a priority for the community in Donegal”.