Laois County Council has said that it does not have the budget for an €80k-€100k automatic sluice gate required for Mill Pond in Rathdowney, which poses risks of flooding the town during storms.

The man-made pond is registered to meat factory Dawn Meats, a huge employer in the town.

Several County Councillors have questioned whether the onus is on the meat factory to fund the project, yet acknowledged that the Council is ultimately responsible for flooding in the area.

Pictured: The Brewery Pond, Rathdowney

Rathdowney Fine Gael Cllr John King requested an update on when the installation works of an automatic sluice gate at the factory pond, stressing that the factory is eager to cooperate with the Council on the project.

“The installation of an automatic sluice gate requires that the pond/watercourse be temporarily dammed and piped so a survey of the existing sluice gate, the sluice gate supports and the watercourse bed can be carried out,” the District Office replied.

“This requires an appropriate ecological assessment to be carried out. The estimated cost for the preparatory works and the installation of the new sluice gate is approximately €80-€100k. The Area Office does not have a budget for these works,” they said. 

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Workers currently operate the sluice gate by hand, as the factory no longer employs after hours security staff. Cllr King was unhappy with the District Office's response, having sought an automatic gate for the pond since 2022.

“This is the third time I have raised the issue, we are just lucky that the staff are keeping the gate open by hand. An automatic gate will have to be installed,” he said.

“I have spoken with the meat factory owners only yesterday, and they said that they would cooperate. We need a plan of works in place- some day there will be a serious flood. There will be no one there to open the gate, and we will have pandemonium,” Cllr King argued.

“The flooding backs the whole way down to Dunnes Stores, and I have seen it happen in the past. The factory is only too happy to cooperate."

Cllr King requested that he and Senior Executive Engineer Mr Rory O’Callaghan meet with 'a higher authority' in the Council, in the hopes of securing funding for the project in conjunction with the factory’s support.

Independent Mountrath Cllr James Kelly supported Cllr King’s motion, questioning the costs of the initial assessments. Mr O’Callaghan replied that the costs would be in the range of €2,000 to €2,500.

“Have you enough money to even fund that, to get started?” Cllr King questioned.

Mr O’Callaghan explained that the funding will not come from the District’s budget. “It could come from the river drainage funding- it’s registered to the meat factory,” he said.

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Cllr King replied that the factory would be ‘glad’ of the Council to take ownership of the pond, and that the Council is ultimately responsible for flooding in the town.

“We have an issue with the sluice gate- the meat factory used to open and close it themselves at times, but don’t let Council staff in to do the work. We can’t get into the site,” Mr O’Callaghan said.

“There must be an onus on the factory, is it not up to them to fund it if it's at risk of flooding?” Mountmellick Fianna Fáil Cllr Paddy Bracken questioned.

“There is, and they are willing to cooperate, they want to involve the Council as well,” Cllr King replied.

Mr O’Callaghan pointed out that it was the factory’s own staff canteen that was flooded during Storm Chandra, as there was no one there to open the sluice gate.

“We have an answer for the people of Rathdowney in the event of flooding. Yes, the factory is two-thirds responsible, but the Council is as well. I am asking to work together,” Cllr King said.

Cllr Bracken pointed out that the factory must be in a position to provide funding for the project.

“They have agreed and they will meet to discuss figures. They will contribute,” Cllr King replied.

Independent Durrow Cllr Ollie Clooney argued that Dawn Meats should fund the sluice gate in the pond.

“Dawn Meats are an awfully big organisation, and it’s great to see them in Rathdowney, even if it's cut back,” Cllr Clooney said.

“It’s still great to have an outlet there for cattle. Looking at their figures, they make huge profits off the backs of farmers. Millions.

“I would say that a meeting should be held, I would like to see cooperation between the Council and Dawn Meats because they have money, and they should be funding this,” Cllr Clooney finished.

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Cllr King said that they will arrange a meeting with the owner of the factory.

This motion was tabled at the February sitting of Laois County Council’s Borris-in-Ossory / Mountmellick Municipal District.