Protect rural properties from flooding threat - mayor of Athlone
FLOOD defences should be put in place for rural properties in the Athlone electoral area, according to local councillors.
At a meeting of Athlone Municipal District this week, the mayor of the town Councillor John Dolan (Fine Gael) tabled a motion calling on the local authority to write to the Minister with responsibility for the OPW Deputy Sean Canney calling on a grant scheme for the provision of flood defences for rural properties to be introduced immediately.
In a written response from the council, he was told that the provision of such a scheme was included in the council’s submission to the Shannon CFRAM study and a further letter can be sent to the minster if the councillors wished.
Cllr Dolan told the meeting it was great that €6 million had been allocated for flood defences and said his proposed scheme was simple and achievable.
Referring to one particular house in Athlone affected by flooding, he said: “You build either a concrete wall or inflatable defences. It’s a very, very simple scheme. I’m disappointed that it’s not there. There are hundreds of houses that could be defended now. Why not go out and spend very small money to help people defend their homes? This should happen now.”
He added: “Nobody wants to go through what they went through before.”
Most people living in areas at risk, he said, want to keep living there. “It’s their home. It’s where they were born and reared.”
Fianna Fail Councillor Aengus O’Rourke supported the motion and said many of the homeowners cannot get insurance. Such a scheme, he said, would give them peace of mind.
Councillor Tom Farrell (Fine Gael) said a lot of houses would qualify for such a scheme and “done once they would be done for a very long time”.
Independent Councillor Michael O’Brien told the meeting that the council has a role to play to “safeguard these homes”.
Director of Services Barry Kehoe said the OPW has a substantial fund for minor schemes but it didn’t extend to individual houses. “For such a fund to be accepted, the scheme would have to change,” he said.
Cllr Dolan replied: “We have an opportunity to protect people’s houses here. Why don’t we do it? There is an appetite out there to take this up.”
He proposed that a meeting be requested with the Minister and this was supported by his colleagues on the council.
At a meeting of Athlone Municipal District this week, the mayor of the town Councillor John Dolan (Fine Gael) tabled a motion calling on the local authority to write to the Minister with responsibility for the OPW Deputy Sean Canney calling on a grant scheme for the provision of flood defences for rural properties to be introduced immediately.
In a written response from the council, he was told that the provision of such a scheme was included in the council’s submission to the Shannon CFRAM study and a further letter can be sent to the minster if the councillors wished.
Cllr Dolan told the meeting it was great that €6 million had been allocated for flood defences and said his proposed scheme was simple and achievable.
Referring to one particular house in Athlone affected by flooding, he said: “You build either a concrete wall or inflatable defences. It’s a very, very simple scheme. I’m disappointed that it’s not there. There are hundreds of houses that could be defended now. Why not go out and spend very small money to help people defend their homes? This should happen now.”
He added: “Nobody wants to go through what they went through before.”
Most people living in areas at risk, he said, want to keep living there. “It’s their home. It’s where they were born and reared.”
Fianna Fail Councillor Aengus O’Rourke supported the motion and said many of the homeowners cannot get insurance. Such a scheme, he said, would give them peace of mind.
Councillor Tom Farrell (Fine Gael) said a lot of houses would qualify for such a scheme and “done once they would be done for a very long time”.
Independent Councillor Michael O’Brien told the meeting that the council has a role to play to “safeguard these homes”.
Director of Services Barry Kehoe said the OPW has a substantial fund for minor schemes but it didn’t extend to individual houses. “For such a fund to be accepted, the scheme would have to change,” he said.
Cllr Dolan replied: “We have an opportunity to protect people’s houses here. Why don’t we do it? There is an appetite out there to take this up.”
He proposed that a meeting be requested with the Minister and this was supported by his colleagues on the council.