This article is from page 78 of the 2009-12-08 edition of The Clare People. OCR mistakes are to be expected so download the original SWF or the rendered page 78 JPG
REMEDIAL works need to be car- ried out on culverts in Shannon but will be expensive and a source of funding will have to be identified for oO US
That was the message delivered from Clare County Council last week, after Councillor Gerry Flynn (Independent) called for a _ pro- gramme to be set up to tackle flood- ing in some parts of Shannon.
‘As it stands, some parts of Shan- non are between four and six inches under water. There is a deficiency in our system,” he said, at a meet- ing of Shannon Town Council, last ‘Tuesday.
He said that in the past, the Office of Public Works patrolled the river banks every week, but that has been reduced to fortnightly checks.
“The Government has failed the community. We need to be more vigilant than most in Shannon. We have flash flooding,” he said.
He was told that remedial works
will be undertaken, in conjunction with road resurfacing, in relation to slit channels.
“Given the extent of works re- quired, however, the costs are likely to be significant and will take years to complete unless funding sepa- rate from that provided in the Road Works Programme is made avail- able,’ stated senior executive engi- neer Eugene O’Shea, in a written response.
Fine Gael Councillor Tony Mulc- ahy said the people of Shannon are very thankful that they were not forced to contend with the same del- uge that Ennis was subjected to. He said that the recent flooding crisis in the county was “absolutely and ut- terly well managed”.
Independent Councillor Patricia McCarthy said it is important that the storm drains are cleaned out on a regular basis.
“We escaped relatively unscathed and we would like that to continue. Prevention is always the best rem- edy,’ she said.
Labour Councillor Tony McMahon said, “We are in a very vulnerable position in Shannon. We could have a very serious situation in Shannon. That has to be remembered. There is a very definite need to be alert and to be aware.”
The mayor of Shannon, Council- lor Sean McLoughlin (Fine Gael) said, ““We don’t know how lucky we were in Shannon in that we were not flooded.”
County Manager Tom Coughlan, who attended the town council meet- ing, said he was happy that Shannon escaped the flooding crisis. He said he is in the process of preparing re- ports on the flooding in the county. One of those will address “where we go from here and that will contain reference to Shannon”.
He said that an increase in roads grants, to deal with flooding preven- tion, will be sought.