The Office of Public Works (OPW) has responsibility for leading and co-ordinating the implementation of Ireland’s national flood policy, which includes the development of a planned programme of feasible works for flood relief schemes.
In 2018, to facilitate the development of a programme of works, the OPW completed a strategic study - the National Catchment Flood Risk Assessment and Management (CFRAM) Programme. The CFRAM programme resulted in the publication of 29 Flood Risk Management Plans (FRMPs), which identified and described the flood risk in 29 river basins (including the Barrow River Basin and the town of Mountmellick) and potentially viable flood relief works.
To facilitate the progression of potentially viable flood relief works in Mountmellick, Laois County Council 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.
The Mountmellick Flood Relief Scheme, which has a preliminary total project budget of €6.8m, is currently at Stage 1 – Scheme Development and Preliminary Design. To progress the Mountmellick Flood Relief Scheme, Laois County Council engaged the services of JBA Consulting.
With support from the OPW, various works have been completed by Laois County Council and its consultants, including Hydrological and Hydraulic Reports, and Environmental Surveys, with public consultation events also been held.
The Mountmellick Flood Relief Scheme is currently approaching the end of Stage 1 with the selection of a preferred option, which involves flood defences such as embankments, walls, culvert upgrades and a bridge replacement over the Owenass River that will provide protection to some 80 properties against flooding. The preferred option was selected 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 process.
Following the completion of an Environmental Impact Assessment Report, it is envisaged that in the first part of 2024, the planning application process will commence to get consent for the Mountmellick Flood Relief Scheme from An Bord Pleanála under Part 10 of the Planning and Development Act 2000, as amended. Construction works will commence as soon as possible after planning consent is granted.
Expenditure to date for this scheme is some €1.15m.
