Laois flood relief scheme 'needs to move at pace'

The flood relief scheme for Clonaslee 'needs to move at pace' now that it has been given approval to move to the planning stage, Deputy Brian Stanley has urged. 

The Independent Republican TD for Laois was speaking after the news last week that permission has now been given to Laois County Council to proceed with a planning application to An Bord Pleanála. 

While plans for Clonaslee have finally made some progress, the status of protection plans for the two big Laois towns of Mountmellick and Portarlington remains unclear. The agency responsible for delivery, the OPW, has also cautioned that delivery could take a decade.

"This scheme is long-awaited, as we have had serious flooding over the years," said Deputy Stanley. 

"Houses in the Chapel Street area and other properties have been affected by it, and there's a total of 74 properties in the village at risk of flooding. “

 "The flood Relief Schemes are moving too slow, this scheme has been seven years in the making, so it’s been a long time coming. Once permission is granted to the Council, the Scheme needs to proceed quickly to get construction works in place and build flood defense walls and embankments and some culvert upgrades along the river Clodiagh, that should prevent flooding in the village in the future.

 “I look forward to the scheme getting planning permission and to proceed quickly and I'll certainly will be pushing for that to happen."

The flooded Clodiagh river burst its banks in Clonaslee after intense rainfall. The floods caused a lot of damage in part of the community before flood waters went on to wreak havoc in Mountmellick and Portarlington. Thousands of acres of farmland was also damaged.

READ MORE about last week's announcement here.