Work needed to mitigate flooding in north Louth and Dundalk, Dail is told
The need for infrastructure projects that make people’s lives better, such as safer roads and better drainage systems to deal with flooding like that seen in north Louth last month, was raised in Leinster House last week by Sinn Féin TD Ruairí Ó Murchú.
During a debate on Capital Supply Service and Purpose Report Bill, the Dundalk deputy took the opportunity to again press the government on the work that needs to be done in the town and in North Louth to mitigate against future flooding incidents.
He said Cooley was particularly affected, while parts of Dundalk were “very close to being flooded on the basis that we cannot deal with heavy rains.”
He said:
“We have a combined wastewater system which deals with sewage and also storm waters.
“There are parts of Dundalk where, if there is any level of heavy rain, that will have water that stays on the streets in estates such as Bay Estate and Cluan Enda.
“We have a drainage system that cannot deal with the new estates that have been added or the new factories.
“All these things are particularly welcome but it looks like we do not have the capacity.
“The only good news I have had in the last while is the fact that there is a drainage area plan.
“I am engaging with Irish Water but we need to see that this is dealt with.
“With the drainage area plan, we need to make sure we assess and review.
“We will obviously have to do work on mitigations in storm protection.
“We know the local authority is doing this.
“Myself and Councillor Antóin Watters met the director of service recently.
“In fairness, they are addressing a lot of the flooding issues and there is a crossover with the CFRAM protections.
“However, we need to make sure that a specific piece of work is done around assessing whether we have the capacity to deal with wastewater and to deliver the clean water we need.
“That is what needs to be done across the board.
“The problem is one is dealing with Irish Water, which will also have plants that are being operated by private companies.
“Again, there is the issue of subcontracting.”
He also pointed to the fact that progress on the N2 Ardee to Carrickmacross route has not sufficiently progressed this year because of a lack of funding.
Deputy Ó Murchú said:
“The N2 is another road project that seems to have run into the ground.
“Sometimes I wonder when Minster Eamon Ryan talks about a competitive planning process because we have seen a hell of a lot of very necessary planning projects that have fallen by the wayside.”