A NEW humanitarian scheme agreed today by Government ministers will provide up to €200,000 for small businesses, community, voluntary and sporting bodies who, through no fault of their own, had been unable to obtain flood insurance and were affected by recent floods in Kerry in June.
Flooding occurred in Tralee, Killarney, Listowel and other parts of Kerry last month due to freak rainfall amounts over a short period.
This new scheme will provide much-needed funds to these organisations to carry out essential repairs to their businesses and to return premises to their pre-flood conditions.
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The scheme will be administered by the Irish Red Cross and affected organisations will be able to apply through the Irish Red Cross website shortly.
Welcoming the announcement, Minister for Education and Kerry Fianna Fáil TD Norma Foley said; “Unfortunately flooding can strike at the most unexpected time, and it can cause huge destruction. The impacts of flooding are particularly severe for those who have been unable to obtain insurance cover, and it is hugely welcome and important that today cabinet has agreed supports for these organisations in particular.
“This will ensure these organisations receive the vital support that they need to carry out repairs and get back to delivering for their communities.”
FIANNA Fáil TD for Kerry John Brassil has written to the Minister of State for the Office of Public Works and Flood Relief to request emergency funding for families in Tralee whose homes have been affected by recent heavy rainfall.
More than a dozen houses in O’Connor’s Terrace in Boherbee had to tackle flooding after torrential downpours last night and this morning.
Deputy Brassil said; “Tralee has been badly impacted by last night’s heavy rainfall, with homes in Boherbee worst affected. Parts of Tonevane, Clash West, Brewery road and the main Tralee to Fenit road have also suffered substantial flood damage.
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“I have written to Minister Kevin Boxer Moran to release emergency funding to Kerry County Council so that it can assist in the repair of the homes affected. Funding will also be needed for works to mitigate further flood damage into the future.
“Only last year, the government announced a €1bn plan aimed at rolling out flood relief schemes across the country. €15m of this was to be allocated to a major scheme in Tralee. Last night we witnessed the impact of government inaction on this issue, and now 13 homes have paid the price.
“I am urging Minister Moran to ensure that this promised funding is prioritised and made available without delay so that essential flood defences can be constructed. We have seen an increase in serious weather events over the past couple of years and we cannot afford to wait for another few years for these works to begin.”
FLOOD relief measures for parts of the town are still years away from being completed but the Council outlined what is intended to be done at a meeting of Tralee Municipal District last Monday.
Cllr. Mikey Sheehy had a motion before the Council that following the extended flooding in September 2016 in the Killerisk/Manor area of Tralee, he wanted to know what actions has Kerry County Council taken to mitigate against further flooding, what further works are proposed and what safeguards are in place to protect houses that were previously affected by flood water?
In reply, the Council said key staff constantly monitor river /tidal and rainfall levels for this area.
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Immediately after the floods in 2016, road staff removed several trees and debris which have obstructed flow along the riparian access at Seán Crispie Park/Manor Village, however, major engineering works such as embankments need to be constructed to help mitigate high river levels in this area.
As the OPW are the leading agency for flood risk management in Ireland, they have initiated the National Catchment Flood Risk Assessment and Management (CFRAM) Programme to give a clear and comprehensive picture of flood risk.
As part of this programme, a Flood Risk Management Plan was prepared for Tralee to identify feasible structural and non-structural measures to effectively manage the assessed risk.
The particular measures being proposed for the Manor area, include:
• Construct embankments along the right bank of the River Lee and Lower Ballynabrennagh to protect properties in Manor Village, Castlemorris Mews.
• Construct embankments along the left bank of the River Lee to protect properties in the Ballymullen area including, Hunters Wood, Cois Abhann, LIDL, Topaz, Aspen Grove, Castlemaine, Glencastle.
• Construct walls along the lower Caherweesheen watercourse.
• Construct embankments and raise the N70 road further upstream on the Caherweesheen and Cloghers Stream
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These works are part of an overall suite of works proposed in the Tralee scheme. The Tralee scheme, estimated at over €30m, has been included in Phase 1 of a €1billion investment proposal by OPW for the next 10 years.
As the initial scheme that went on public display, was considered at a strategic level, detailed design is now required, including detailed surveying and ground investigations, planning consent, etc.
In order to procure design consultants to carry out this detailed design, the OPW is developing template design briefs for these schemes, which will, once completed, be tailored for specific scheme areas etc.
A project team to manage the approved OPW CFRAM projects for Kerry (incl. Tralee) is currently being established.
This team will be responsible for further developing the design brief and for procuring/ appointing consultants to progress the scheme. This team will report to an OPW/KCC Steering Group.
The Council has an Emergency Response Plan for severe weather conditions, including flooding which is put into effect when there is a potential risk of flooding at various locations throughout the county, particularly where there has been a history of flooding.
However, the Council stressed that while the State, through the OPW, Local Authorities and other public bodies can take certain actions to reduce and manage the risk of flooding, individual homeowners, businesses and farmers also have a responsibility to manage the flood risk to themselves, their property and other assets to reduce damages and the risk to personal health in the event of a flood.
A FLOOD relief scheme for Tralee, estimated to cost over €15m, will go ahead as the town was included in a list of five large scale projects to get priority and will proceed to detail,design and construction phase.
Fourteen other schemes will get underway in six river catchment areas nationwide costing between €1m and €5m, and a further 31 smaller schemes costing up to €1m, will be undertaken by local authorities.
Banna and Abbeydorney schemes are expected to cost under €1m while Kenmare is also included in the national ten year schemewhich will cost €1bn. The announcement was made today by An Taoiseach Leo Varadkar in Athlone.
TRALEE is expected to be included in the new one billion euro flood risk management plan to be announced by Taoiseach Leo Varadkar in Athlone today.
Researchers looked at 300 areas in a six-year study including 90 coastal areas, most impacted by flooding. It has been carried out by the Office of Public Works’ Catchment Flood Risk Assessment and Management programme.
A number of places in the Tralee area including Blennerville, Ballymullen, Princes Street/Godfrey Place and Manor have been flooded over the past few years causing damage to homes and businesses, so it is hoped Tralee will be one of the priority areas named today.
Over the next 10 years, €1bn will be spent on the initial 29 flood management schemes nationwide with 118 schemes to be completed in total. Fifty of them to be brought forward in the short term.
GARDAI are advising motorists to exercise caution as there is flooding on roads around Tralee and elsewhere in the county after heavy rains last night.
There is flooding on the Canal Road in Tralee, the Kielduff road on the approach to the Tralee bypass roundabout is flooded and there is also flooding in Abbeydorney, Ballyheigue and Causeway. Some roads around west and north Kerry are also affected.
A Yellow Status rainfall warning in still in place for Munster and Leinster, but the rain is set to clear from Kerry later this morning.
SANDBAGS are being distributed in parts of the county as up to 100mm of rain is expected over the next day.
Met Éireann issued a Code Orange rainfall warning for Kerry which is valid until 6pm on Tuesday and up to 100mm is expected on higher ground particularly in coastal areas.
There is very heavy rainfall expected in the county this evening and especially overnight tonight. At this stage, Kerry County Council expects the west of the county and the Dingle and Iveragh peninsulas to be worst affected.
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Through our crews on the ground, sandbags are being provided in Dingle, Caherciveen, Sneem and Kenmare by Council crews on the ground.
Kerry County Council has set up an emergency number which members of the public can call if there are any emergencies. The number which operates out of hours also is 066 7183588.
Kerry County Council will update its Twitter feed @countykerry and will be posting updates on our Facebook page as the day progresses with further information.
.Munster Bar owner, John O’Sullivan, with the vital sandbags outside his pub on Tuesday.
PUBLICAN, John O’Sullivan, of the Munster Bar has friends and family to thank for limiting the damage of ‘Storm Desmond’ last Saturday night.
As flood waters began to breach the Ballymullen pub, patrons came to help pump water out of the building through the night, limiting damage which could have ran into the thousands of euro.
“It was a battle with Desmond,” said John, speaking to TraleeToday.ie on Tuesday. “He was pouring the water into us and we were pouring the water back out to him,” said John.
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From 5pm Saturday evening until 8am Sunday morning, John and his hardy volunteers pumped water out of the front windows of The Munster Bar with three generator powered water pumps.
Now, only a bare concrete floor where once there was carpet, would give an indication that six inches of flood waters had made their way into the building.
Waters rising outside the Munster Bar at about 1.30pm on Saturday. Photo by Dermot Crean
“We pumped water all though Saturday night. The people who were on hand in the night were back again at eight in the morning armed with squeegees, brushes and mops to clean the place out,” said John.
“Patrons came in their droves Sunday morning to give their support and to offer their condolences. And sure, we were delighted to see them and they were delighted to see we were in good spirits.”
Efforts to protect the pub began as early as 9am Saturday morning. John got word the street was flooding outside the pub so he moved quick to get cars out of harm’s way. The place was loaded with sandbags, but by 3pm, Desmond had forced his way into the door of the bar.
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“I was trying to think on my feet, it was a new experience,” said John. “Fortunately one of my patrons was able to access three pumps for me and we had them going all night.”
“I’m fully convinced without the pumps it would have been a lot worse, so I’m forever indebted to my family and friends for staying with me and preventing what could have been a catastrophe.”
.Flooding in Manor Village earlier today. Photo by Martina Ryan Murphy
THE flooding situation in Tralee has required the services of the army tonight.
As well as a platoon of soldiers dispatched to Bandon in Cork, a Defence Forces statement tonight revealed; “6X6 TCVs and soldiers have also been deployed to Kenmare, Tralee and Bantry and will be co-located with HSE medical teams to assist them to get to medical emergencies in flooded areas if required.”
There is severe flooding in Manor Village and Ballymullen with road diversions in place in these areas as well as in Caherwisheen out on the Castlemaine Road.
Castlewood Park in the Manor area has also been badly affected.
Water levels in Ballymullen rose from 0.8 metres last night to 3.2 metres tonight.
A section of the Tralee bypass road, from the Rose roundabout to Ballygarry roundabout is closed.
A NEW humanitarian scheme agreed today by Government ministers will provide up to €200,000 for small businesses, community, voluntary and sporting bodies who, through no fault of their own, had been unable to obtain flood insurance and were affected by recent floods in Kerry in June.
