A senator hopes flood relief works on the banks of the River Feale in Listowel will start by the end of this month.
Fine Gael senator Mike Kennelly has welcomed the publication of the report commissioned by Kerry County Council following the record-breaking flood levels that affected Listowel last November.
MWP Ireland engineering consultants who produced the report recommended several short-term mitigations and that the design of long-term measures is progressed as part of a flood relief scheme.
Minister of State Kevin Boxer Moran told Fianna Fáil TD Michael Cahill last month that while the Listowel Flood Relief Scheme is not in the first tranche of projects to be progressed, that it’s being kept under review and that all projects will be started as soon as possible.
In relation to flooding in Killocrim, Boxer Moran said once the council report was finished, his officials would assist Kerry County Council in determining what measures may be possible to implement based on the report’s recommendations.
Senator Mike Kennelly said he has an update on works carried out by the Office of Public Works to provide flood defences in Clieveragh.
MWP Ireland’s report said information from the OPW indicated that an embankment constructed around Listowel Racecourse was removed by the racecourse in 2004 in order to maximise usable lands.
The report said that while this modification wasn’t authorised, the racecourse committee engaged with the OPW and were made aware of the increase in flood risk due to its removal and accepted liability for same.
The report does not cite this as the cause of last November's flooding, which affected a number of areas in Listowel; among the factors cited was the volume of runoff - a combination of rain from Storm Bert and snow melt.
Radio Kerry has contacted Listowel Races for comment.
