Éamon Ó Cuív (Galway West, Fianna Fail)
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241. To ask the Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform the flood relief works carried out on the River Clare in County Galway as part of the Clare River Claregalway drainage scheme; the works which remain to be carried out; if flood relief works are proposed for Lisheenavallagh in Claregalway; if so, when these works will commence; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [36026/17]

Kevin Moran (Longford-Westmeath, Independent)
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Flood relief works are being carried out on the Clare River (Claregalway) Drainage Scheme (FRS) over a 3-year period with substantial completion expected to be achieved by the end of 2018. Works are being progressed currently by the Office of Public Works (OPW) direct labour force which has a lot of experience in undertaking such works in environmentally sensitive areas.

In recognition of the significant flooding problems in the area it was agreed to proceed with interim measures to reduce flood risk and by 2012, the following remedial works were successfully completed in advance of the main scheme works:

- Construction of flood eye at Claregalway Bridge;

- Construction of new bridge at Crusheeney.

Works on the main scheme commenced in June 2016 with the construction of a drainage pipeline in the Lakeview area and with deepening of the channel bed upstream, under and downstream of the Claregalway Bridge and Flood Eye.

Details of further works carried out to date and planned are outlined in the following schedule.

A monthly progress report is available on the OPW website at

Clare River (Claregalway) Drainage Scheme

Schedule of Works - July 2017

- Selective channel maintenance along the Clare River from Lough Corrib towards Cregmore Bridge, has been substantially completed. Some localised rock removal to be undertaken at select locations at a later stage as required.

Miontach South:

- all archaeological trenching has been completed along the footprint of the works area and suitable road build up material has been accumulated at Claregalway to facilitate road raising works;

- a contractor has completed works to remove the tree-line along the edge of the Miontach South road;

- work on the proposed road raising in the area commenced in mid-April. Works are currently progressing well, with phase 1 of the proposed road build-up almost complete. Phase 2 operations which includes resurfacing works are due to commence in July/August 2017;

- works on upgrading the existing road culvert and installation of an additional culvert crossing are now in progress;

- The gap in the wall at “An Mhainistir” housing estate has been addressed and a local embankment at nine arches bridge together with infilling in part of the old river channel has been completed;

- Works on re-grading the channel upstream, under and downstream of Claregalway Bridge, together with re-grading the new flood eye were substantially completed in 2016. Some outstanding rock removal from the channel bed downstream, under the footprint of the cofferdam will be removed this Summer in conjunction with agreed Environmental River Enhancement Works and necessary realignment of the southern bank for a short distance immediately downstream of the Flood Eye;

- Works on the Kiniska (Cin Uisce) tributary which includes; channel maintenance, bank protection and bridge upgrading works have now been completed;

- Final reinstatement of agricultural land along the route of the pipeline is substantially complete.

Caherlea/Lisheenavalla:

- works in this area commenced with the replacement of the existing bridge at Crusheeny by OPW as part of the advance works associated with the flood relief scheme in 2012. Further works in this area include:

- Channel widening from 1.3km upstream of Crusheeny Bridge to immediately downstream of Crusheeny Bridge to form a two-stage channel commenced in mid-April 2017. Stripping of topsoil within the proposed land-spread area is complete; this will facilitate spreading of material generated from the second stage channel construction along both banks:

- Formation of the second stage channel is well advanced on both sides of the Clare river;

- Cleaning, regrading and up-sizing of the Islandmore Drain, also due for completion this year;

- Construction of an embankment along the southern bank of the Clare River from 1.3 km upstream of Crusheeny Bridge to the Islandmore Drain; to include the installation of a non-return valve on the discharge from the Islandmore drain is in progress;

- All archaeological trenching and testing has been completed within the footprint of the proposed works area;

- Raising the road locally in Caherlea/Lisheenavalla may also be undertaken as a future measure if considered necessary.

Carnmore/Cashla:

- Works on the construction of the Carnmore/Cashla flood alleviation will be carried out in 2018;

- All archaeological trenching and testing has been completed along the proposed pipeline route.