This article is from page 2 of the 2014-09-02 edition of The Clare People. OCR mistakes are to be expected so download the original SWF or the rendered page 2 JPG
RELOCATING homes inland is not an option for the residents of the town land of Cloughnainchy near Seafield whose houses had been flooded during the high tides and storms last winter, or a solution to further floods this winter.
Local resident Danny McCarthy ruled out the relocation proposal likely to be offered to some homeowners in other parts of the country as the Office of Public Works and Local Authorities begin work on addressing flooding and coastal erosion.
Last evening (Monday) the residents of Cloughnainchy, Quilty, re- ceived confirmation that € 200,000 has been released by the OPW to begin work on a feasibility study at Tromore West. This is the area along the coastline which includes Cloughnainchy, where the sea invaded 14 homes and swept away an acre of land out to the sea in January.
Clare County Council put the cost of addressing the coastal erosion and flooding issue in Cloughnainchy at € 4.7m. The feasibility study will fully cost storm and flood defence works at this site, which will then be presented to the Government department who will decide if work is feasible.
Mr McCarthy was hopeful last night that the study could begin immediately and that work on prevent- ing the natural disaster of earlier this year could begin soon.
“We are hoping it begins long before April when it was initially thought work would begin at the earliest,” he said. “We have already lost six months when nothing was done.”
Mr McCarthy, whose home was one of 14 flooded in the area, said the committee worked very hard with Clare county councillors to get the work even to this preliminary stage.
He ruled out any suggestion that moving the three to four houses nearest the coastline would be a financially savvy solution.
“This is a tourist road as well. Hundreds of people walk the two mile sandy beach, it is not just about the houses,” he explained.
According to sources close to the OPW suggestions have been made that it may be less expensive to build new homes for families affected by flooding than to begin substantial coastal protection works.
Former Minister for State with responsibility for the OPW Brian Hayes told The Clare People yesterday (Monday) that relocation was not likely to be a suggestion for Seafield and was never considered for this area during his time in charge.
“This is also private land and not public land,” he pointed out.
He confirmed that the OPW may consider it as a solution in some areas if there are yearly flooding events and it makes economical sense.