Flooding at The Loakers in Blackrock recently
There are no major flood relief work plans in the pipeline for County Louth, it has been revealed.
Despite the county being battered in the first two months of this year, no major flood defence work is earmarked for this year according to Minister of State Brian Hayes.
Responding to a Dáil question from local TD Gerry Adams, the Minister of State at the Department of Public Expenditure and Reform revealed that €39,725 had been spent on the Ardee Road in Dundalk in 2011 and €27,000 on the Bellurgan Embankment in the same year.
There was no spending on flood relief in 2012 with €71,820 being spent on the Blackwater River last year.
It was revealed that Louth County Council has submitted a study of the Bellurgan Embankment to the OPW and that this is currently being assessed. However, Minister Hayes insisted that there “are no further major scheme works currently planned for Louth.”
He added: “The Catchment Flood Risk Assessment and Management (CFRAM) programme is examining areas of significant flood risk in the main river catchments nationally, including in the Eastern region.
“Under the CFRAM Programme flood maps for these significant risk areas will be completed by the end of 2014 and Flood Risk Management Plans will be produced by 2016. The studies will consider the best possible options, both structural and non-structural, for dealing with the risks on a long-term basis and, when completed, will form the basis for decision making on capital investment by the Government on long term flood mitigation infrastructure into the future.
“It is open to Louth County Council to submit applications in the future to the OPW for funding of minor works under the Minor Works scheme,” he said.
Talk of the Town 