Dáil Éireann Debate, Wednesday - 30 April 2014
245. Deputy Éamon Ó Cuív asked the Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform if, in view of recent flooding problems, it is intended to carry out remedial works to release water from the lough in Ramolin, near Shrule in County Mayo, as the level of the water is still blocking the Ramolin Road, which is used by 20 houses; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [19667/14]
View answerThe Ramolin area, near Shrule, is a turlough which is subject to a natural flooding process each winter. The flood extent this year has been greater than normal and the water has taken a longer time to recede. Engineering officials from the Office of Public Works (OPW) met with a delegation from Shrule last month to consider the situation. One solution that has been suggested would be to drain the turlough into an OPW drainage scheme channel. This would involve 500m long excavation up to 1500mm deep through rock and clay including a culvert under a national primary road. This would be a very costly solution. A similar solution was proposed in 1995 by the OPW but was rejected by Mayo County Council on environmental grounds. There was a legitimate concern at the time that the proposal would affect the quality of a local potable water supply. Therefore, for an overground engineering solution that could resolve the problem, the costs and environmental implications would appear to be prohibitive.
It is, of course, open to Mayo County Council to apply for funding under the OPW's Minor Flood Mitigation Works and Coastal Protection Scheme for any mitigation measures that meet the eligibility criteria of the Scheme but, in this instance, it is difficult to see how the cost benefit could be justified as no homes were flooded during this recent event. All applications are assessed under criteria which include a requirement that any measures are cost beneficial, and having regard to the overall availability of funding. It is also open to the Local Authority to carry out works using its own resources.
Notwithstanding any of these options, the OPW Arterial Drainage Division in Headford will continue to maintain all maintainable scheme channels in the area, some of which have been included as part of the 2014 works programme.
