Meath council to review flood-hit districts after recent storms
Municipal districts in Meath that have been affected by recent storms are to be assessed as part of a review of flooding issues across the county.
At the March meeting of Meath County Council, Independent councillor Yvonne Everard asked the local authority to outline the actions proposed to address “legacy flooding issues”.
She noted that no recent planning applications or Section 50 applications have been submitted to the Office of Public Works in respect of culverts or river diversions, and sought details of the measures being put in place to prevent future flood risks.
In its response, the council said it has “historically” carried out works to prevent flooding, ranging from relatively simple drainage measures — such as diverting runoff from roads away from properties — to more complex flood relief schemes.
It pointed to significant schemes delivered in Ashbourne and Bettystown and confirmed that it is actively engaged in major flood projects in the Mornington/Bettystown area and in Stamullen to address ongoing flooding concerns.
The council said its Environment Department is “currently gathering information” from all municipal districts regarding flooding that occurred during recent storm events.
“We will assess this information and arrange for further investigations, where appropriate, to see if works are required that could prevent such flooding events in the future,” they said.
“Some of the flooding that occurred may well be prevented through maintenance of watercourses by landowners.”
According to the local authority, assessments will be prioritised in locations where the “greatest impact” occurred, particularly where houses were flooded.
They added that they may need to engage relevant expertise to develop solutions, depending on the complexity of the issues identified.
“Where substantial works are required to address flooding issues, we will liaise with the OPW to explore the possibility of funding support. Applications for Section 50 approval would be discussed with the OPW in such cases,” the council said.
Meanwhile the requirement for planning permission would be assessed on a case-by-case basis in consultation with the council’s planning department and “could depend on the cost of the works involved and the environmental sensitivity of particular locations”.