Independent specialists appointed to review proposed Glanmire flood relief
Independent specialists have been appointed by the Government to carry out a review of the Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) submitted for the proposed €8.5m Glanmire Flood Relief scheme.
They are to carry out the review after it was confirmed that “a significant number of submissions” were received on the scheme arising from a recent public consultation process about the proposed building of defences along the River Glashaboy.
According to the Office of Public Works (OPW), submissions received are currently being considered and examined and it’’s anticipated that a decision will issue shortly in relation to the outcome of the public consultation process.
A spokeswoman for Minister for Finance, Public Expenditure and Reform, Paschal Donohoe — who will have the ultimate decision on whether the scheme goes ahead or not — told a residents’’ association in Glanmire that €430m
Exchequer funding is committed for a structural programme for flood defences from 2016 to 2021, with just under €1bn committed to flood defences as part of the National Development Plan to 2027 "which indicates the Government’s commitment to providing flood defences where necessary".
Mr Donohoe’’s private secretary, Michelle O’Connor, said he is required to carry out an the EIA assessment.
Ms O’Connor said the submissions from the public consultation process “are currently being considered and examined and it is anticipated that a decision will issue shortly".
She said both Mr Donohoe and the OPW “will make every effort to progress the scheme as quickly as possible while taking account of environmental impacts and legislative requirements".
Millions of euro of damage was caused to more than 70 homes and businesses in the Glanmire area as a result of flooding caused by torrential rainfall on June 28, 2012. The Glashaboy river has been cleared of debris in the meantime, but no work on any flood defences has yet been carried out.
The OPW has drawn up plans to put up walls and extensive earth bank along the length of the river between Sallybrooke on the north of the town down to the estuary close to the Vienna Woods Hotel.
The plan also includes putting in emergency pumping stations and elevating a bridge which connects the Hazelwood and Crestfield shopping centres to allow water to flow through more quickly.
Very few homes of businesses along the length of the Glashaboy river have flood insurance cover since the flood occurred eight years ago.
