Hopes that flood works should restore home insurance cover

Hopes have been expressed that insurance companies will now restore flood cover for houses in Ballinasloe following the announcement of an €8.6 million investment in the town.

The funding for the extension of the flood relief programme will include the extension of the flood wall and an ease of access for rising waters to escape into the River Shannon.

But local councillors have expressed the view that the works are both taking too long to complete and that there is no guarantee that insurance companies will provide flood cover for homes in Ballinasloe.

The Office of Public Works presented area councillors with a plan for the Ballinasloe Flood Relief Project which is expected to commence this year.

Cllr Aidan Donohue told a meeting of Ballinasloe Municipal Council that he was concerned about the length of time involved in the design stage and also the fact that it would not be completed within the next four years.

His Fine Gael colleague Cllr Michael Finnerty said that even when the extension of the flood wall is completed, there is no guarantee that home owners in Ballinasloe will be afforded flood relief cover from insurance companies.

The proposed works under consideration by the engineering team to protect the town of Ballinasloe include the construction of 530m of new flood defence walls, 5km of flood defence embankments and a demountable flood gate, and of two new 6m wide flood alleviation arch culverts at Ballinasloe East Bridge.

It also involves works on the riverbank 130m upstream and downstream of the bridge to 35.3m to maximize efficiency of the flood alleviation culverts, as well as the construction of two lock gates across the Canal and a sluice gate across the channel flowing into the marina from the canal.

In addition, it would see an upgrade of existing culvert to a 2.0m diameter culvert, and the existing Kilclooney Road Bridge on the River Deerpark, along with works on the riverbed upstream and downstream of Kilclooney Road Bridge to maximise efficiency of the upgraded structure.

It also includes maintenance works of the west and east channels to ensure their full capacity can be utilised in a flood event.

Cllr Donohue has been assured that the staffing shortages that currently exist within Galway County Council will not delay the project.

However, he is concerned about some of the time frames involved in the flood relief process.

“There are elements to this project that are taking much longer than they should be. If we get another deluge like at the end of 2015 or 2009, then it will be a disastrous situation again,” he said.

Cllr Finnerty added that when the works are completed, then the home insurance companies should be left with no choice but to provide flood cover for every dwelling in the town.

Meanwhile, Deputy Denis Naughten said that this announcement builds on the investment of €400,000 already allocated in conjunction with Minister Sean Canney for flood relief measures in Ballinasloe, South Roscommon and East Galway since the Government was formed.

“To complement the flood measures to date and those planned for Ballinasloe, work is ongoing on the River Shannon itself, south of where it meets the River Suck, to remove blockages in the flow of the river that have a direct impact on flooding south of Ballinasloe.

“Other projects throughout County Roscommon and East Galway are currently under consideration and further measures will take place along the River Shannon over the coming months which will have a direct impact on flooding problems along the River Suck and River Shannon,” Deputy Naughten said.