2013 before Offaly flood blackspots can be tackled

No major flood relief works will take place in south or west Offaly until a new study on the Shannon is completed in 2013, the Offaly Independent can exclusively reveal this week. Areas such as Shannon Harbour, Shannonbridge, Lusmagh and Banagher will have to wait for at least three years before any consideration will be given to major schemes in the area. The only alternative is a Non-Coastal Minor Flood Mitigation Works, the criteria for which included a capital cost of less than half a million euro and a Minister of State at the OPW Martin Mansergh confirmed that no major works could take place along the Shannon after a meeting with local farmers in Athlone last week. A Catchment Flood Risk Management Plan (CFRMP) study on the Shannon is being undertaken by the Office of Public Works which will take until at least 2013 to complete. The Minister said areas at high risk might be manageable from a minor scheme, but alternatively "if something becomes clear in the study as has happened in other areas of the country, well these works won't have to wait for completion of the full study". However, he prefaced his remarks by saying he wouldn't hold out much hope of the latter situation and that if the November flooding happened again tomorrow only a limited number of works would be completed. Essentially, he called for the OPW to be given time to put measures in place, a whole range of which they are currently working on, to reduce the flood risks nationwide in the future. "We have a budget of €70 million, €50 million for flood relief works, major and minor, and €20 million for maintenance. We are working all over the country on a whole range of things. Generally speaking, they won't have instant impact... but the more time we get the better. I'm delighted the sun is shining today, at least till August the risks should be somewhat lessened but you never can be certain."