Department still assessing Crossmolina flood scheme

The Department of Public Expenditure is currently in the process of examining additional information to determine the environmental effects of the long-awaited Crossmolina Flood Relief Scheme.

Mayo TD Dara Calleary sought an update from Minister Paschal Donohoe in the Dáil last week on the current status of the scheme. He also sought an update on what actions had been taken since the submission of a recent consultant’s report and asked the Minister to outline a timeline for progressing the scheme to construction.

Minister Donohoe said that to comply with EU Regulations on Arterial Drainage, additional environmental assessments were required and this information was requested from the Office of Public Works (OPW) last July and submitted in November. His department is now in the process of going through the information to ensure a full, reasoned conclusion on the environmental impacts of the scheme.

“This supplementary information is currently being examined by the environmental consultants retained by my Department. It is being examined in order to inform the reaching of a reasoned conclusion on the environmental effects of the scheme," said Minister Donohoe.

Local Crossmolina-based councillor Michael Loftus, who is the current Cathaoirleach of Mayo County Council, said Crossmolina continues to be let down by the Department with regard to the construction of its flood relief scheme.

“What has one to do to get these people in Dublin to see what they are doing to homes and businesses in our community who don’t have insurance, every day and night worrying about rain,” he said.

“There is absolutely no reason why this flood scheme cannot go ahead. All the reports have given it the green light.”

The north Mayo town has been devastated by flooding on several occasions in recent decades, with the most extreme flood event in December 2015 when flood waters entered 120 properties in the town, causing extensive damage and loss of property.