'We are terrified' Portarlington community view flood defence designs

The people of a Laois Offaly town with a long history of floods, have finally seen the plans for multi-million flood defences.

Portarlington is built on the River Barrow, and some 144 homes and businesses are in danger of floods during periods of extreme heavy rain.

Many premises cannot get insurance because of the threat.

In 2020, Laois and Offaly County Councils jointly commissioned civil engineers to come up with a flood relief scheme.

This November, two design options went up on show at Portarlington Community Centre, to gather public opinions on which is better.

Local people came along to see what is in store for the town.

Among them was Linda Dempsey who with her husband runs the Gala and Inver filling station beside the Barrow Bridge.

She told the Leinster Express / Laois Live that the job simply needs to get done.

"We really want this to take place. It is so important for the town. Our businesses suffer, our homes are going to flood, the river is all behind them. The water backs up to our back wall and shutter doors. 

"They have planned it so that no-one gets flooded further down the Barrow. It sounds like they are going to do everything they can to protect the Barrow habitat as well, that is very important to me. We had to do the same when were were building our home. 

"At the end of the day, this is people's lives and homes. We are terrified every year because we have no flood cover, no insurance. We employ 14 people, all locals, we don't want to lose our business or our home. My husband's family live across from the business, so we live with this personally and professionally," Linda said.

A local man who grew up on Spa Street was there with his teenage son, both declining to give their names.

"I think something has to be done. It's great to see progress, if this works to protect homes. I hope they will stop future planning permission for developments on the flood plains," the dad said.

"As kids we always played in Emerson's field, in the winter it was a pond that we skated on. Now it's houses, and there's all houses on the bog out the Edenderry road. I'm not an engineer but you go with the expertise. We have to see prevention happening, it's hard to get house insurance or even sell a house now," he said.

Another local man who is himself a civil engineer and worked on other flood prevention works also attended. Ruairí Whelan was involved in flood relief works in Ennis in Clare.

"They do work. It's interesting to see what is proposed here. Both of the options look good, but they need to be developed further. I can remember being in primary school in St Pat's when it flooded and we were all evacuated. We had to walk on pallets and a scaffolding bridge along the path because it was flooded. It's very important to get this right, particularly on Spa Street and Botley Lane. It needs to be done badly," Ruairí said.

Joint project engineers Binnies and Nicholas O'Dwyer are offering two options for public feedback.

Both would protect 144 premises and roads, using flood gates, embankments and walls, enlarging culvert drains. both also require the removal of invasive species along the river, and both require land being purchased.  They would make better use of what were traditionally flood plains beside the river, deepening them so they can take the excess water. 

Option B has lower walls and, more wetland areas and a lowered river bank, to allow the flood water to sit in designated areas rather than wash on downstream. This also would offer potential for wetland habitat creation.

Also ringfenced for protection by the defences, are 90 protected structures including 64 historical buildings, 13 monuments, two ringforts, and the town itself, classed as a 'heritage asset'.

However the playing field and People's Park would still be left unprotected from floods.

Fabio Spaliviero is Project Director with Binnies said the project will cost about €6 million.

"It's about trying to develop options that can provide mitigation, to protect people and protect the river," he said.

The next step is to choose one design and go to planning, in mid 2023. Construction is hoped to start in early 2025, and be largely complete by the end of 2026. 

Laois County Council engineer Paul O'Loughlin is overseeing the project.

"The emphasis is to protect existing properties. We want to minimise impact on landowners as much as we can, but residences and schools are already built. Both options can also eventually be built upon as the climate changes," he said.

View the plans on the project website, www.floodinfo.ie/portarlingtonfrs