Laois towns might get defences nearly a decade after promised following devastating flood

Nearly a decade will have passed between floods in Mountmellick and the completion of flood defences for the town is completed if the project is deemed 'viable', according to the latest official update on the promised scheme.

A similar scenario faces Portarlington which was also hit by the flooding event in November 2017 which caused damage both towns with Mountmellick worst hit.

The timescale is located in a new update obtained from the Office of Public Works (OPW) by Laois Offaly Minister of State Pippa Hacket. The Green Party sought information from Minister of State Patrick O'Donovan after the Leinster Express enquired about the status of the promised defences.

In his reply, the Minister of State at the Office of Public Works and Flood Relief said the OPW has responsibility for leading and co-ordinating the implementation of Ireland’s National Flood Policy, which includes the development of a planned programme of feasible works for flood relief schemes. 

He said that in 2018, to facilitate the development of a programme of works, the OPW completed a strategic study - the National Catchment Flood Risk Assessment and Management (CFRAM) Programme.  He said this CFRAM programme resulted in the publication of 29 Flood Risk Management Plans (FRMPs), which identified and described the flood risk in 29 river basins (including the Barrow River Basin and the towns of Mountmellick and Portarlington) and potentially viable flood relief works.

He said that to facilitate the progression of potentially viable flood relief works in Co Laois, Laois County Council has agreed, with the support of the OPW, to lead the further detailed assessment of the flood risk, design options and environmental assessments to support planning applications for viable schemes in Mountmellick and Portarlington. 

Minister O'Donovan said that in the event that such flood relief works are considered viable, they typically go through a five stage process, namely:

Stage 1: Scheme Development and Preliminary Design
Stage 2:  Public Exhibition/Confirmation/ Planning Approval
Stage 3:  Detailed Design
Stage 4:  Implementation/Construction
Stage 5:  Handover

He then gave an update on the Laois projects.

"The OPW notes that both the Mountmellick and Portarlington Flood Relief Schemes are currently at Stage 1 – Scheme Development and Preliminary Design, and that Laois County Council has engaged the services of consultants (Barry&Partners/JBA Consulting Ltd and Binnies/Nicholas O’Dwyer Ltd) to facilitate the progression of potential flood relief works in Mountmellick and Portarlington respectively. 

"As part of their project briefs for Mountmellick and Portarlington, the consultants for both schemes are undertaking engineering and environmental studies, while also assessing and developing a viable, cost effective and sustainable flood relief scheme.

"With reference to the Mountmellick Flood Relief Scheme, it is envisaged that an Options Report will be finalised in Q2 2023, and that the preferred option for the Mountmellick Flood Relief Scheme will be presented to the public in Q3 2023.  Following the public consultation on the Mountmellick Flood Relief Scheme, the Environmental Impact Assessment will be undertaken and Stage 1 completion is envisaged to occur in Q4 2023.

"With reference to the Portarlington Flood Relief Scheme, the OPW notes that a number of Public Consultation Days have been organised (most recent 24 November 2022), and emerging flood relief options have been presented to the public.  A further Public Consultation Day will be scheduled once a preferred option has been identified.  In addition, an Environmental Impact Assessment of the preferred option for the Portarlington Flood Relief Scheme will be undertaken.  It is currently envisaged that Stage 1 completion for the Portarlington Flood Relief Scheme will occur in Q2 2024.

"In the event that flood relief works for Mountmellick and Portarlington are considered viable and go through the relevant planning processes, it is currently envisaged that the projects will be substantially completed in Q3/Q4 2026 and Q3/Q4 2027 respectively," he concluded.

On the basis of the timescales provided, it would take the authorities almost a decade to deliver defences which were promised soon after the devastation in November 2017. Both towns have had close calls since with Mountmellick almost surrounded by water during the General Election count of 2020.