Delay of demanded Laois town's flood defence confirmed

The drawing up of plans for much anticipated flood defences for the Laois town that was partly devastated by flooding in 2017 has been delayed, according to the State agency responsible for delivery. 

The Office of Public Works (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.

Mountmellick was hit badly by flooding in November 2017, with Clonaslee and Portarlington also impacted by the same weather event. Flood defences were promised by politicians soon afterwards.

Yet the plans for the two big towns are not yet competed with the proposals for Clonaslee have only just been submitted to An Bord Pleanála.

The current situation was outlined to the Leinster Express / Laois Live after we sought an update on the status of the Portarlington and Mountmellick projects.

It 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. It said the CFRAM programme resulted in the publication of 29 Flood Risk Management Plans (FRMPs), which identified and described the flood risk in various river basins (including the Barrow River Basin and the towns of Mountmellick and Portarlington) and potentially viable flood relief works.

The OPW explained that to facilitate the progression of potentially viable flood relief works in Mountmellick and Portarlington (as separate flood relief schemes), Laois County Council (LCC) 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. Additionally, according to the OPW, LCC engaged the services of engineering and environmental consultants to facilitate the progression of the Mountmellick and Portarlington flood relief schemes.

The OPW  said it notes that flood relief schemes are large, complex, multiannual projects. It added that they require detailed analysis of the sources and causes of flooding by the scheme’s consultant(s). Extensive landowner and stakeholder engagement and detailed environmental assessments and mitigation measures is another element.

Furthermore, say the OPW, the delivery of flood relief schemes 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: Construction
• · Stage 5: Handover

After explaining the background, the OPW confirmed that Mountmellick is now behind schedule. MORE BELOW PICTURE.

Soldiers called in to Laois in 2017. Pic: Michael Scully

"With reference to the Mountmellick Flood Relief Scheme, the scheme is currently approaching the end of Stage 1 (Scheme Development and Preliminary Design) with the selection of a preferred option identified, which involves flood defences such as embankments, walls, culvert upgrades and a bridge replacement over the Owenass River. The preferred option was selected based on a range of criteria including economic, environmental and ecological impact, climate change adaptability and consideration of the feedback which arose during the public and stakeholder consultation process.

"The scheme’s Option Report and Environmental Impact Assessment Report along with the other planning documents are now substantially complete. The OPW notes that it was previously envisaged that Stage 1 would be finalised by the scheme’s consultant prior to the end of 2024. However, due to scheme complexities further investigation and analysis was required and additional time is needed to facilitate Stage 1 completion.

"In March 2025, the OPW’s Senior Management Team met with LCC’s Director of Services regarding progression of the Mountmellick Flood Relief Scheme, and it was agreed that LCC would continue to engage with its engineering and environmental consultants to finalise the scheme’s design before submitting a revised Approval Gate application to the OPW for approval prior to LCC submitting a planning application to An Bord Pleanála," said the statment.

The OPW said that io accordance with the Government’s Infrastructure Guidelines and its Sectoral Guidance for Delivery of Flood Relief Schemes, LCC (Sponsoring Agency) is required to obtain gateway approval from the OPW (Approving Authority) prior to the scheme going to planning.

"It is currently envisaged that Stage 1 of the Mountmellick Flood Relief Scheme will be completed prior to the end of Q2/Q3 2025 and a planning submission will be made by LCC to An Bord Pleanála prior to the end of Q3 2025 (subject to OPW’s approval of LCC’s Approval Gate application)," said the statement.

Delays have already been confirmed with the Portarlington scheme. The OPW provided an update.

READ ALSO: Laois flood relief plan needs to move apace

"With reference to Portarlington Flood Relief Scheme, the scheme is also approaching the end of Stage 1 (Scheme Development and Preliminary Design). It is envisaged that the Options Report for the scheme (that contains the scheme’s design) and the associated Environmental Impact Assessment Report will be completed in Q2 2025 and Q3 2025 respectively, and that a planning submission will be made by LCC to An Bord Pleanála before the end of Q4 2025 (subject to OPW’s approval of LCC’s Approval Gate application)," concluded the statement.

The OPW has previously stated that it can take up to 10 years for flood defences to be delivered.

The Minister with responsibility for the OPW is Kevin Boxer Moran. The independent TD was also minister when Mountmellick was flooded in 2017.