Defences cost for flood-hit Laois town surges to €20 m claims TD

The cost of protecting Mountmellick has surged again, according to Laois TD who, nevertheless, insists that work must accelerate to build defences for the town devastated by floods in 2017.

Independent TD Brian Stanley made the claim about the latest cost escalation of the project surging in the wake of a recent meeting he says he has had with Laois County Council and Office of Public Works (OPW).  

"The overall cost of the scheme has now increased significantly. The original cost was estimated to be €6 to €9 million, that has now increased due to extensions and extra works required, delays and construction cost inflation. It is now estimated that the final cost could be up to €20 million, according to this week’s meeting,” he said.

The former Sinn Féin TD said the cost has risen from figures he obtained earlier this summer, which showed that the project outlay was running at between €15m to €17m in public money.

Nevertheless, Dep Stanley called for the timeline for the scheme and similar ones in Portarlington and Clonaslee need to be shortened.

"While some progress is being made, the delay on the Scheme so far means that it now needs a step change. It’s welcome that Laois County Council (LCC) are now ready to seek planning approval from the An Commissiun Pleanala," he said.

Dep Stanley says all environmental, hydrology reports, surveys and studies etc have now been completed and the preferred option and design of the scheme has been completed, including where the walls and embankments will be constructed.

He said a total of seven kilometres of walls and embankments will be put in place. A stretch will be up to 9 metres.

"The Council state that the new scheme will protect 165 businesses and homes in Mountmellick from flooding. This is based on a one-hundred-year risk of flooding. Also in the plan is the removal of the old Owenass historic bridge at Derrycloney and the acquisition or compulsory purchase of 18 acres of land, also included in it is the construction of a pumping station a Davitt Road. 

"It is clear from the update from the OPW and LCC Senior Engineers this week that the process around the various stages of the project is taking far too long and is completely unacceptable. This timeframe could be reduced by giving more powers, in terms of contract management, to qualified engineers in the local authorities such as Laois County Council.

"It has been eight years since the bad flooding in Mountmellick and it could take another six to seven years to get to the final completion of construction work. 

"Meanwhile, there is a risk of further flooding to homes. Many of these households can no longer get flood insurance. In particular, those residents whose homes were severely flooded in the past are very concerned," said the TD.

The Portlaoise-based TD said he had raised the issue recently in the Dáil and pressed the Government on the need to shorten the length of time between a flood relief scheme being approved and construction being completed, this must be reduced.

"Otherwise, these schemes will go on forever,” he concluded.

Mountmellick suffered severe flooding in November 2017 when flood waters from the Slieve Bloom engulfed properties in parts of the town. Clonaslee and Portarlington were also hit.

The current Minister for the OPW, Kevin Boxer Moran, committed to defences for all three communities when he was also OPW Minister when the town flooded.