€200,000 required to end 'frightening' flooding in Ratheniska

It could cost up to €200,000 to fix ‘absolutely frightening’  flooding seen at Ratheniska  during the last National Ploughing Championships, councillors have claimed.  

In the meantime, Laois County Council has agreed to install temporary measures to protect some houses that are under threat of flooding this winter. 

A repair bill of between €100,000 and €200,000 was cited at a meeting of the Portarlington Graiguecullen Municipal District where councillors raised the damage   in September.

The flooding was  raised with councillors by residents and Laois County Council officials have come up with solutions which councillors say will be costly.

Fianna Fáil Cllr Padraig Fleming, tabled a motion on the issue. He said work had been done in the area around ten years earlier but flooding occurred during heavy rain around the time of the Ploughing Championships in September this year. 

“Three or four houses in particular were affected,” said Cllr Fleming. 

“Water went around the back of their houses and got into their garages,” he said. 

He said the quick thinking on behalf of neighbours had spared the homes from flooding.  

“They put up temporary ramps there. They actually protected the houses,” he explained. 

He described it as a “serious problem” but said it can be dealt with by bringing a drain across the fields.

In his motion, Cllr Fleming said a presentation had been made by the local community regarding flooding issues in the Killavally, Beatogue and Loughteaguein.

On foot of the evidence presented, he called on the local authority to seek once-off  special funding from the Department to carry out a comprehensive plan to resolve the flooding issues in the area so as to ensure that the threat to homes /garages is resolved. 

He said the installation of a flood ramp outside the homes for further protection should be examined. He also called on the council to consider re-strengthening and resurfacing of the road at Ratheniska.

Fianna Fail Cllr Paschal McEvoy said the local residents had given a fantastic presentation to the councillors. 

“It was absolutely frightening down that road. I’ve never seen anything like it,” he remarked.  “It needs to be dealt with. It is urgent really,” he said. 

Independent Cllr Aisling Moran said she had seen the video of water flowing down the road. She said there was “bark mulch” in the drains. She said drainage pipes were broken during the previous ploughing championships. 

“The water in those videos was brown water pumped off the site down the road,” she claimed. 

She said the National Ploughing Association should help with the cost of repairs. 

“We need to know what percentage of the flooding is down to the Ploughing,” said Cllr Moran.

“This bill is coming in at around  €200,000,” she added. 

Sinn Fein Cllr Aidan Mullins said none of the councillors were opposed to the National Ploughing  Championships and they appreciated the benefits of the event.

Cllr Mullins said they were shown “videos of the flood and it was like looking at a river in full flood… not like a road.”

He said there is a stretch of about three quarters of a kilometre of drainage pipe that needs to be enlarged.

Fine Gael Cllr PJ Kelly was disappointed that he hadn’t been aware of the meeting in Ratheniska. 

“I wasn’t at that meeting. I didn’t know about that meeting,” he said. 

“I  have worked at the ploughing every year with the club and I have done for years,” said Cllr Kelly.

He said the rainfall was “astronomical” around the time of the Ploughing and he said the ground still hasn’t dried out.

“I am supposed to sow winter corn this year and I didn’t even plough the field,” he revealed. 

He said it is possible that the drainage pipes in Ratheniska mightn’t be big enough.

Senior Executive Engineer, Philip McVeigh said the  Council has inspected this location and has applied to the Department of Transport for Climate Change Adaptation and Resilience Works funding for  drainage works.

“We will get the three bungs installed over the winter in the short term,” he said.

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Cllr Mullins and Cllr Moran deferred a joint motion on the issue.