Ellis calls for OPW to intervene on flooding issue
Cllr Caillian Ellis is calling on Minister of State for Public Service Reform and the Office of Public Works (OPW) to intervene and provide funding for essential flood relief works at Lough Reane, just outside Fenagh.
In 2009 the Leitrim Observer reported that one resident was facing the prospect of being cut off from his neighbours and all access roads for a number of months as a result of ongoing flooding.
Sean Meehan had to row from his home to the nearest access point in order to get supplies for himself and his stock. Other local residents were also facing difficulties feeding animals after local roads were left four to five feet under water.
The issue was raised by Cllr Caillian Ellis at the next meeting of Leitrim County Council and he raised the matter again in 2010 when he was told that the Council had entered discussions with the various stakeholders including the Office of Public Works (OPW), Waterways Ireland, the Fisheries Board and IFA, regarding Lough Reane.
In 2010 a spokesperson for the Council said that the Local Authority had applied to the OPW under their Non-coastal Minor Flood Mitigation Works Scheme for funding for a drainage scheme at Lough Reane, however, the scheme was not approved for an allocation.
Speaking to the Leitrim Observer earlier this week, Cllr Ellis said that he was “extremely disappointed” that a solution had not been found and funded for the residents living on the shores of Lough Reane.
He recently contacted Pat the Cope Gallagher, MEP in a bid to highlight the issue and in response, Mr Gallagher said that he would contact Minister of State for Public Service Reform and the OPW, Brian Hayes, to highlight this ongoing problem.
Cllr Ellis said he would also be raising this matter again and he said that it was vital that more was done to alleviate this problem.
“Flood levels are rising again at Lough Reane and with more rain on the way it would not take much to see a return to the situation facing residents in 2009,” he said.
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Weather for Carrick-on-Shannon, Ireland
Saturday 25 May 2013
Today
Light rain
Temperature: 9 C to 15 C
Wind Speed: 14 mph
Wind direction: South west
Tomorrow
Light rain
Temperature: 8 C to 16 C
Wind Speed: 15 mph
Wind direction: South west
