Flood defences cutbacks ‘due to kids hospital overrun’

Government overruns in funding the new National Children’s Hospital have resulted in Portumna’s flood defences being put on the back burner, a local TD has claimed.

According to Deputy Anne Rabbitte (FF), despite being identified as ‘high risk’ by the Catchment Flood Risk Assessment and Management (CFRAM) reports in 2016, the Minister was failing to act because of cut backs in funding for flood relief.

“Portumna, under the CFRAMs assessment, was identified as high risk. It said there was one big gap in the length of the Shannon that could cause flooding and that was in Portumna,” she said.

In a parliamentary question to the Minister with responsibility for the OPW and Flood Relief, Kevin ‘Boxer’ Moran, Deputy Rabbitte queried the development of flood relief schemes in South Galway.

In relation to Portumna, Minister Moran said: “The Portumna Flood Relief Scheme is not being progressed in the first phase of investment under the Government’s €1 billion flood risk capital programme, but will be progressed in the coming years and within the ten-year timeframe for the programme of investment.”

The commitment to complete this within ten years was akin to “giving the two fingers to the people of Galway”, said Deputy Rabbitte.

She said if the Shannon were to burst its banks in Portumna, it would block the N65 – a main artery she said that provided access to schools and hospitals for three provinces.

This was an example of “willful neglect” by the Government, said Deputy Rabbitte.

“A lot of people from Lorrha have to go to Ballinasloe to have their babies; it’s a main route for people getting from South Galway to both Galway and Limerick Cities.

“Boxer [Moran] referred millions back to the Children’s Hospital Fund last year. We’re paying for the Children’s Hospital in Portumna, as far as I’m concerned,” she said.

The CFRAMs assessment had offered two options to protect Portumna from flooding, she said, one that would have cost £2.1 million and the other – the one that was selected – costing €3.96 million.

The risk of flooding was hampering potential investment in Portumna, claimed Deputy Rabbitte.

“In the overall scheme of things, Portumna has lost its hotel and has done its best to survive, but there has been a total lack of investment in the ‘Hidden Heartlands’,” she added.

Another incident of flooding such as the one that occurred during Storm Desmond in 2015 would be enough to close several businesses, she continued.

“Locally, we have done as much as we can. The design is done for this gate; Portumna has been identified as high-risk; it’s now in the Minister’s gift to fund it.”

Minister Moran had invested heavily in flood protection schemes in his own constituency in Athlone, she said, which would likely create further flooding problems further down the Shannon in places like Portumna.

“So, not only are we going to pay the price of not getting flood protection, he has invested so much in his own place that it’s going to be coming down on top of us even quicker,” she said.

Failure to act now could end up costing the state even more than the almost €4 million invested needed, said Deputy Rabbitte, because the environmental assessments already carried out will be deemed out of date if this drags on for another five years.

In relation to the Gort Lowlands Flood Relief Scheme, the Minister confirmed to Deputy Rabbitte that a feasibility and route selection assessment was expected to be completed by early 2020.

“If the development scheme is acceptable from an environmental and cost benefit perspective, it is possible that construction will commence in 2021, with an estimated construction period of eighteen months,” said Minister Moran.

However, Deputy Rabbitte said it should be noted that this statement was “couched in uncertainty”.