City Council orders study to solve flooding

A comprehensive study to uncover long-term solutions to Galway City’s flood problems is to be commissioned.

Galway City Council has said that a number of proposals about city flood-defences have been made but a study examining exactly what is needed must be carried out first.

The commitment to carry out a report on the long-term flooding needs comes as a number of businesses were flooded again last weekend – Galway Chamber has issued a rallying cry to the public to support traders hit by flood damage.

That flood event wasn’t quite as bad as the storms and flooding over Christmas and at the beginning of January, but it has added to the spiralling costs of repair works following the freak weather.

Galway Chamber also urged the Council and Government to fund long-term flood defence measures to protect the city from floods.

A City Council spokesperson said flooding and remedial works will be discussed at Monday’s Council meeting, where councillors will be given an updated report from Director of Services, Billy Dunne.

“What we have to do is carry out a proper, extensive report about what is needed, in terms of engineering and environment and so on,” said the Council spokesperson.

“We have lots of proposals from the Chamber and City Councillors but we need a proper study.”

For more on this story, see the Galway City Tribune.