Over €1million has been announced for two new flood relief schemes in West Waterford.
It's part of a billion euro flood risk management plan being announced by Taoiseach Leo Varadkar and Minister Kevin'Boxer' Moran in Anthone today.
Researchers looked at 300 areas across the country potentially in danger of flooding before choosing where to invest.
Funding of €840,000 is to be made available for the Ballyduff scheme and a further €230,000 for the Aglish scheme, to enable both projects to proceed to detailed design and construction.
Waterford Minister of State John Halligan said the Waterford funding was specifically targeted at communities considered most likely to be impacted by future flooding.
"The West Waterford communities of Ballyduff and Aglish were amongst 300 areas identified by Government in 2012 as being most at risk through the Office of Public Works' (OPW) Catchment Flood Risk Assessment and Management (CFRAM) Programme. These communities have suffered a great deal from flooding in recent years and local businesses and homes are at high risk of future flooding. The relief works will be vital to ensure they are protected”, Minister Halligan commented.
"Evidence from the CFRAM Programme has pointed to the feasibility for Government to invest in a total of 118 flood relief schemes over the coming decade which will provide protection to 95% of those properties assessed to be at significant flood risk. While work on all of these has started through the CFRAM Programme, progressing these schemes to detailed design is being expedited by procurement frameworks that have been put in place and, overall, means we are tackling the greatest risk nationally."
Minister of State for the Office of Public Works & Flood Relief, Kevin ‘Boxer’ Moran T.D. added:
"Today’s announcement for future investment builds on the €465m already spent by Government on 75 major flood relief schemes completed and underway. This investment has also supported completion of 500 localised flood relief schemes by local authorities under the Minor Works Scheme, protecting 6,500 properties. Two-thirds of these are protecting properties outside of the CFRAM study areas. The Minor Works Scheme will continue to ensure that local flood problems are identified and resolved, in tandem with addressing the flood risk in large urban areas. I can give my assurance that sufficient funding will be available within the 10 year capital envelope to meet all eligible applications from local authorities to progress with viable minor flood works".
Image: Ballyduff flooding in December 2015. Richard Creamer via Youtube
