Five-year stand off comes to an end with Inver flood mitigation works to proceed

Homeowners in Inver who have been living in constant fear of the next big tide are breathing a sigh of relief that flood mitigation works are finally going ahead. 

Joe Shallow, Eunan Ward and their respective families live on the seafront in Inver. They have been at a loss as to why funding approved to repair rock armour in front of their homes was never drawn down by Donegal County Council. That is despite it being approved by the Office of Public Works in 2020. 

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Minister Kevin Moran recently announced funding of a further €45,000 for the project, which will include constructing a row of rock armour along the line of the existing gabions in order to protect these gabions from further damage. 

Joe Shallow told Donegal Live: “We have been trying for the last five years to get this done, and no-one in Donegal County Council wanted to take responsibility for it. 

“They even told me at one point that they would supply the cement and I could do it myself!

“They’ve been telling us that it is private property and not their responsibility but that is not the case. The existing gabions were built by Donegal County Council 47 years ago, and that created a right of way with the path on top. That path is very clearly not within our boundary, nor Eunan’s, so it is not private property. 

“This is going on for the last five years, so we are happy that there is progress, even if we had hoped it would be a bit more to do the job properly and take it round a bit further.”

Mitigation works carried out near Joe’s home in 2016 meant that water was being deflected to the shore in front of his house, accelerating erosion. It can be clearly seen that stones and sand which once covered the base of the gabion cages have been washed away, thus weakening the entire structure.

Consequently, there are gaps going back further than the eye can see, leaving the Shallow and Ward families in fear of their homes being washed away.

“It is not even a case of being worried about the winter storms at this stage,” said Joe. “The next big tide could be the one that does the damage if there is a strong wind behind it. 

“I was told by Donegal County Council that there was no way it could be as bad as that. It wasn’t until I showed them a video of what it is like here when there is a swell that they believed me. It took video evidence for them to understand that the work they did a few houses up from us has actually made things a lot worse at our houses.”

Earlier this year, Joe heard that Minister of State at the Department of Housing, Local Government and Heritage Kieran O’Donnell was in Killybegs. He contacted Senator Manus Boyle (FG) and asked if a visit could be arranged.

“The minister came here and met with ourselves and people from Donegal County Council,” said Joe. “There were 15 of us here at my house altogether, and the Minister did not accept any excuses for this work not be carried out. 

“He said that it should have been done when funding was approved in 2020, and it could have been done for €18,000 back then. It has gotten a lot worse since then from being left while this stand off was going on.

“After the minister’s visit, Donegal County Council had to submit the paperwork and it took them a while but it is done now and the funding can be released.

“I hope now that it will be carried out over the summer when they can get access over the beach.

“And once it is complete, we will be surveying it to monitor any changes or damage.”

Joe said he wanted to particularly thank Cllr Jimmy Brogan and Senator Manus Boyle. “I showed them the problem when they came canvassing for the council election,” he said. “They promised to do everything they could, and they were true to their word.”

Cllr Jimmy Brogan (Ind) welcomed the funding allocation.

He told Donegal Live: “It is a good step forward. I hope now that the work will be carried out quickly, and that more funding will be made available for that area.”

Senator Manus Boyle, who was a councillor until his appointment to the Seanad earlier this year, also welcomed what he described as ‘great news for Inver Village.’

He said: “I want to thank the ministers along with the council officials who helped get this funding in place. 

“This is a positive step forward, and I look forward to seeing the works begin soon, helping to protect local homes and give residents greater peace of mind.”

Minister Kevin Moran announced the funding of €45,000 for minor flood mitigation works and coastal protection for Inver Coastal Protection Project. The funding is in response to Donegal County Council’s application for funding under the Office of Public Works’ Minor Flood Mitigation Works and Coastal Protection Scheme. 

Under the scheme, the OPW has approved additional funding of €45,000 for planned works at Inver, which include constructing a row of rock armour along the line of the existing gabions in order to protect these gabions from further damage. 

The Minor Flood Mitigation Works and Coastal Protection Scheme was introduced by the Office of Public Works in 2009. Since then, 46 funding applications by Donegal County Council have been supported under this scheme. 

The purpose of the scheme is to provide funding to Local Authorities to undertake minor flood mitigation works or studies to address localised flooding and coastal protection problems within their administrative areas. The scheme generally applies where a solution can be readily identified and achieved in a short time frame, and is granted subject to conditions and criteria being met.