Risk of flooding in Laois town could reduce with clearance money

The risk of flooding in Mountrath may be reduced while farmers near Abbeyleix could also have less  problems due to the confirmation of over €120,000 to pay to take debris out of two Laois rivers.

The Minister of State with responsibility for the Office of Public Works (OPW), Patrick O’Donovan, T.D., has announced the approval of Laois County Council’s applications for funding under the OPW's Minor Flood Mitigation Works and Coastal Protection Scheme.

The following has been approved:

• €58,500 for proposed works, which will include the removal of deadwood/debris and pruning of trees that are causing restrictions on approximately 6.5km of the Whitehorse River, Co Laois from Mountrath Town, and
• €63,000 for proposed works, which will include the removal of deadwood/debris and pruning of trees that are causing restrictions on approximately 6.5km of the River Nore in south Laois.

The money for the Whitehorse could be welcome in Mountrath as it flows through the town and has caused flooding in the past.

Laois TD and Minister of State Seán Fleming was happy that €121,500 would be spent on river clearing.

"I am very pleased that this funding has been received as everybody in Mountrath is well aware of the flooding that occurs in the river in the town. This is an ongoing problem and I am pleased that this funding will help the situation. Also, many landowners along the River Nore have been in touch with me about flooding and I am pleased that this funding will also help in that area," he said.

The Minor Flood Mitigation Works and Coastal Protection Scheme was introduced by the Office of Public Works in 2009. Since then, 6 funding applications by Laois County Council.

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.

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 Under the scheme, applications are considered for projects that are estimated to cost not more than €750,000 in each instance. Funding of up to 90% of the cost is available for approved projects. Applications are assessed by the OPW having regard to the specific economic, social and environmental criteria of the scheme, including a cost-benefit ratio. 

Works that are normally the responsibility of the local authorities will generally not be considered for OPW funding. Where such works would also mitigate the risk of flooding to properties, partial funding may be considered by OPW.

The Local Authorities must be satisfied that the works will not have a significant impact on flood risk elsewhere.

The commencement and progression of any works for which funding is approved is a matter for each Local Authority concerned.