This article is from page 16 of the 2014-01-28 edition of The Clare People. OCR mistakes are to be expected so download the original SWF or the rendered page 16 JPG
WHILE the local authority tackles one of the largest flood relief projects in the county town of Ennis, a new form of flooding has taken hold in other parts of the county.
During the last number of years, rural roads in Clare, which previously went unaffected by heavy rainfall, are now subjected to significant flooding.
The reason for the floods, according to the council, is blocked drains and ultimately a staff shortage, which has continued since a Government moratorium and a major early retirement scheme in the public service.
Tom Tiernan, Senior Engineer with Clare County Council, confirmed, “Blocked drains and subsequent flooding has increasingly become a problem around the county in recent years.
“Clare County Council is unable to carry out drainage clearing work as regularly as it would like to due to curtailed resources,” he said.
Frustrated local county councillors have been inundated with calls relating to the issue.
Cllr Tom McNamara said, the finances simply are not there to regularly undertake even the most basic of road maintenance works.
This has led to the deterioration of our roads, particularly in rural areas.
“For example, in recent weeks I have seen flooding occur on sections of the R474 between Ennis and Miltown Malbay as well as smaller regional and local roads where flooding has not occurred before, such as that experienced recently on the Bushypark Road. This flooding is the result of roadside drains not being maintained and becoming filled with debris. The blocked drains simply cannot cope with the volume of rainwater,” he said.