An Insight into the Area We Live in

Flood Alleviation Plans Nearing Completion
BY CIARA BERESFORD
With the recent and quite serious flooding and its ensuing media
circus of national and regional publicity – it was reassuring
somewhat to see the CFRAM roadshow in the Civic Offices to
undergo a public consultation exercise on the options of permanent
flood defences that the OPW will be building for the town.
This increased funding allows considerable progress has been being
made by Irelands first flood management plan Catchment Flood Risk
Assessment and Management (CFRAM) programme, set up in 2011,
and the Office of Public Works.
The main plans of CFRAM and OWP’s are to prevent the flash flooding
which occurs in areas of the Shannon basin. They have created a long
term forecasting and flood prediction system and propose the use of
demountables in towns, due to their effectiveness.
Building on the Engineering and levee type works that were
successful for the Derrymullen and Ashfield drive residents – the
OPW Consultants posted 5 plans and got affected business owners
and flooded or impacted residents to comment on them. The price
tag is in the region of €6.8 to €10 million to give the town similar
defences to a Fermoy or Kilkenny which worked pre Xmas and this
money is apparently secured from Govt. Most of the proposals
focused on getting two additional flood eyes on the east bridge as
a preventive method to the flooding.
When adopted by OPW and County Council these defence works will
have to go to planning and therein lies the rub. There is no immediate
respite from a potential flood even with the work of CFRAM it will be
some time before there is. The Business Flood Action Group are pressing
their case with all agencies and representatives – given the scale of the
commercial devastation caused.
Pat Finn Chairman of the Ballinasloe Flood Action Group - “The town
and our business were badly flooded in 2009 and there has been
nothing done since. The longterm plans won’t happen for years.
We want immediate changes including an Alarm System between
24-48 hours, Non-Return Valves put on the existing pipes and a
flood barrier - which can all be put in place quickly and easily. Faster
processes and cost effective.”
Peter Madden carries some
gas cylinders through the
floodwaters in Ballinasloe
Members of an Chead Cath from
Renmore Barracks help with preventing
the flooding from spreading
CREW CHANGES AT LIFE
We’d like to say a huge thank you to Ms Ciara Beresford,
the Dungarvan native and UL Undergraduate who has
toiled at the coal face of missing captions and long
call backs from sheepish PROS since July. She steered
LIFE through four issues during her co – operative
placement and when not running 10ks or training was
always a wonderful young reporter to work alongside.
We wish her well in returning to campus and finishing
her Degree.
LIFE’s Trainee Crew has been involved in a lot of the
behind the scenes multi media work for the REDZ Town
& the Action Town Team programmes and various
other BACD initiatives and we would not have had
a snowballs chance in hell of completing any of the
ambitious on line social media campaigns if it were not
for Limerick man Steven Tynan who too has been on U.L.
Co – op in the Theatre since June. A huge thanks to all his
video editing and film making skills and for keeping us
all musically entertained during his time here.
The new victim to the Life and AOIFE team is Brian
Ciepierski. Fresh faced at 20 years of age from
Castlegregory, Kerry via Allentown, Pennsylvania,
USA, he is a UL undergraduate studying
Psychology and Politics when not golfing or dancing
!! He will be taking up the role of Life Reporter
and AOIFE Press Assistant. Brian can be reached at
ballinasloelife@hotmail.com. Editor Colm Croffy.
Standing Up for Ballinasloe
Contact General Election Candidate Claire Kerrane:
E-mail: ckerrane@gmail.com Phone: 087 1945 254
Facebook: Claire Kerrane Twitter: @ClaireKerrane
General Election Candidate
Claire Kerrane
County Councillor
Cllr Dermot Connolly
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