River works complexity queried by Laois Councillor

A Laois Councillor has queried the difficulty in carrying out work near waterways in the county. 

Independent Cllr Aidan Mullins had asked “that Laois County Council update on progress on the maintenance of the section of the riverbank which has collapsed at Baylough Bridge near Portarlington.”

In response, Senior Executive Engineer, Tom Drennan said: “ Laois County Council has recently engaged with an ecological consultant to carry out a screening survey of the works to ascertain if remediation works require a full Natura Impact Statement before the works can proceed. Laois County Council has also engaged with a specialist river works contractor on this project and is currently awaiting its quotation in relation to the proposed remedial works of the embankment. All works are subject to compliance with Inland Fisheries Ireland’s stipulations on in stream river works as the closed season runs from 1st October to June the 30th.” 

Cllr Mullins said the riverbank collapse has caused great difficulty for a local landowner. “It was the only access that the local landowner has to his field,” he explained. 

He recalled raising the issue previously and said “we are sort of back to where we were two years ago” when it was first raised. He asked about the ecological survey. 

Senior Executive Engineer, Tom Drennan, said the ecologist had already been out to the site and costs were awaited from a contractor. 

Mr Drennan said a rock armour proposal was being investigated but he said the timing of it will depend on the circumstance. “A few things have to fall the right way,” he said.

Cllr Mullins said he was glad there was progress but he again said the landowner was unable to bring machinery into a couple of his fields. 

The meeting was told the works are only needed on about 20 metres of river bank and the landowner has pedestrian access to the field. 

Independent Cllr Aisling Moran said an EU directive “means we can’t clear out our rivers” but the same directive applies to other EU countries and she said they clean out their rivers. She asked what “gobshite is reading the law in Ireland” in relation to rivers in Ireland. 

The issue was discussed during the latest meeting of Portarlington Graiguecullen Municipal District.