Dáil hears of Laois flood relief scheme delay

A Mountmellick Flood Relief Scheme report which was due to be completed last year remains unfinished. 

The town was devastated by severe flooding in November 2017 when scores of houses and businesses were flooded. The flooding was so severe that the Defence Forces were called in to assist the council and Civil Defence and the Red Cross administered a humanitarian scheme that had to be set up. 

Now, eight years on, plans are still being finalised for a flood relief plan to protect the town in case of another severe flooding event.  

Laois Fianna Fail TD Sean Fleming asked Minister of State with responsibility  for Public Expenditure, National Development Plan Delivery and Reform and the Office of Public Works(OPW) Kevin ‘Boxer’ Moran for an update on the scheme in a parliamentary question on Tuesday, February 11. 

Minister Moran explained that the OPW completed its national Catchment Flood Risk Assessment and Management (CFRAM) programme in 2018. Mountmellick and the Barrow River Basin were among the 29 locations identified as being potentially viable for flood relief works. 

“To facilitate the progression of potentially viable flood relief works in Mountmellick, 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 a planning application for a viable scheme. Additionally, LCC engaged the services of an engineering consultant to facilitate the progression of the Mountmellick Flood Relief Scheme. 

The Mountmellick Flood Relief Scheme is currently approaching the end of Stage One (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. 

Minister Moran said the preferred option was 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.

“The scheme’s Option Report and Environmental Impact Assessment Report along with the other planning documents are now substantially complete. An additional report to analyse local residents concerns is also nearing completion, following a meeting between LCC, OPW and residents in Derrycloney in Q3 2024,” he revealed. 

“The findings of the finalised report will be communicated to the residents concerned in advance of any planning application being submitted by LCC to An Bord Pleanála for the Mountmellick Flood Relief Scheme."

"The OPW notes that it was previously envisaged that a report would be finalised by the scheme’s consultant prior to the end of 2024. However, due to the extent of investigation and analysis required, additional time is required to facilitate completion. It is currently envisaged that a response will be issued to the residents concerned prior to the end of Q1 2025,” said Minister Moran. 

According to its dedicated website, the Mountmellick Flood Relief Scheme should begin construction by the end of March 2025.