Planning bid due early next year for permanent pipe for Funshinagh

A planning application for a permanent flood relief solution at Lough Funshinagh will be lodged in the first quarter of 2027, OPW Minister Kevin 'Boxer' Moran has confirmed.

Minister Moran reinforced his commitment to the longstanding flooding issue on the lake when meeting with members of the local community in the South Roscommon townland of Curraghboy on Friday of last week.

The OPW Minister's meeting with local residents came prior to the hosting of a fourth public consultation event by Roscommon County Council in the Hodson Bay Hotel on Monday at which the preferred option to relief long-term flooding at Lough Funshinagh was unveiled.

Boxer said the preferred option "runs parallel" to the existing temporary flood relief solution which is now 18 months operational.

Under the preferred option, a 2.35km underground pipeline will be installed to bring water from Lough Funshinagh to the Cross River. The pipeline will be buried along the corridor, crossing agricultural land and two local roads, with the land fully reinstated following construction.

Similarly to the existing temporary measure, the water will be pumped through an intake chamber from the south-western corner of Lough Funshinagh under the preferred option. Screening equipment will prevent fish and debris from entering the system.

The chamber contains monitoring equipment and pumps and valves used to initiate and control the transfer of flood water from the lough into the pipeline. The water will enter the Cross River at the same maximum flow rate as the existing interim pumping system, 300 litres per second.

Water transfer will start when the lough reaches a pre-defined level and continue until levels fall to a favourable amount. This approach is designed to reduce flood risk while allowing for natural seasonal fluctuations in water levels to continue.

The operation of the project will be continually monitored using a network of water level gauges, flow metres, sensors and automated control valves. This is to ensure that water is transferred safely and that downstream levels in the Cross River remain within acceptable limits.

The public consultation this week follows the third such event held in April, during which nine potential options were presented for public and stakeholder feedback. Since then, the project team has continued to undertake detailed technical, environmental and engineering assessments, while carefully considering the feedback received through the consultation process.

"We re-examined all nine permanent flood relief options before us and chose the best one. This will ensure that when the planning application is submitted to An Coimisiún Pleanála for consideration it is the right option and will allow the project to take the next steps," Minister Moran said.

An Environmental Impact Assessment Report and a Natura Impact Statement will also be prepared as part of the planning process.

While the permanent solution is being progressed, an extension will be sought from An Coimisiún Pleanála for the temporary solution, which is 18 months into a 24-month planning permission.

Minister Moran is confident that the planning application, when it is submitted in the first three months of 2027, "will meet the requirements of An Coimisiún Pleanála".

"This preferred option provides all involved with the fastest opportunity to get this project over the line. In the meantime, we will look to extend planning for the temporary flood relief measure which has been working successfully since it was switched on in April last," 'Boxer' added.

'Boxer' said he is confident that the project will be approved by the national planning board and commended the work of Roscommon County Council for the "fast pace" work they continue to do in relation to the Lough Funshinagh project.

The OPW Minister also thanked members of the local farming community who have allowed the proposed pipeline to cross their lands.

Should An Coimisiún Pleanála grant permission for the project, 'Boxer' said he hopes to see the preferred option come to fruition "within 12-18 months".

Lough Funshinagh is a designated Special Area of Conservation (SAC) turlough that has experienced severe and recurring flooding in 2010, 2016, 2021 and 2024. These events have resulted in significant flood risk to homes, farmland, infrastructure and local communities.

Work to install an overflow pipe from Lough Funshinagh to Lough Ree was initiated by Roscommon County Council in 2021, but the work was stopped after a High Court challenge brought by Friends of the Irish Environment.