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Teanga: Níl leagan Gaeilge den mhír seo ar fáil.
Kieran O’Donnell T.D., Minister of State with responsibility for the Office of Public Works (OPW), today, (4th October 2024) announced €5.8m in funding from the OPW to Cork County Council for the installation of Individual Property Protection measures to some 920 homeowners and businesses impacted by the October 2023, flood event during Storm Babet, across Midleton and East Cork. This announcement is part of a suite of flood relief announcements, including progressing the Planning Consent Route for the Midleton Flood Relief Scheme by Cork County Council through An Bord Pleanála and the funding of staffing resources for Cork County Council to deliver these measures.
Individual Property Protection (IPP)
Minister O’Donnell said
“I have seen at first hand the devastation caused by Storm Babet and met with the impacted homeowners and businesses in Midleton and across East Cork. Since my appointment in April, I have together with my officials met and worked with the Chief Executive and senior management team of Cork County Council to identify the most efficient way of delivering the flood relief scheme for Midleton and until completed, the interim measures to reduce the risk and impact of flooding for Midleton and East Cork.”
The Minister said
“the Individual Property Protection scheme is being made available to those who were so badly impacted by Storm Babet in Midleton and East Cork and will provide reassurance, until the flood relief schemes are completed, by mitigating flood risk in these communities. The Office of Public Works is making funding available to Cork County Council to ensure IPP is available and accessible at no cost to homeowners and businesses”.
The details of Cork County Council’s Individual Property Protection (IPP) Scheme are available on Cork County Council’s website: www.corkcoco.ie from next Monday (7th October) and forms a part of the Council’s overall Emergency Response Plan. Applications for the scheme can commence from noon next Monday. Cork County Council are engaging in a media campaign to publicise the scheme. Applicants who require assistance in registering can contact Cork County Council by telephone at (021) 427 6619, or email ipp@corkcoco.ie.
Mayor of the County of Cork, Cllr Joe Carroll said,
“Storm Babet was an extraordinary and unprecedented event that had devastating consequences for homes and businesses in Midleton and East Cork. This new Individual Property Protection scheme is a very welcome addition to the measures that are being rolled out. They can help reduce the impact of flooding, mitigating the damage caused to people’s property. We all know there are never any guarantees when it comes to the power of flood waters. However, I hope these measures will help to safeguard homes and businesses that have already been hit so badly.”
Interim Measures
Cork County Council is progressing a number of other important interim flood mitigation and defence works for Midleton and East Cork which are designed to reduce the impact of flooding in advance of the main schemes for these communities.
The Minister recently announced the approval of €155k in funding from the OPW to Cork County Council to progress specific minor works designed to mitigate flood risk in both Castlemartyr and Killeagh. A further application for funding for flood mitigation works in Mogeely is expected to be submitted by Cork County Council to the OPW later this year.
Midleton Flood Relief Scheme
Cork County Council in partnership with the OPW is delivering the Midleton Flood Relief Scheme that will seek to protect up to 750 properties and has an estimated budget of €55.8m. The Climate Adaptation Plan that forms part of the scheme’s design means that the scheme can be adapted over the coming decades to continue to provide the same level of protection against a higher flood risk from climate change.
Minister O’Donnell said
“work started in early 2024 on the planning documentation and through constructive engagement and review between the Office of Public Works and Cork County Council, a decision has been agreed to progress planning consent for the Midleton Flood Relief Scheme by Cork County Council under the Planning and Development Act to An Bord Pleanála.”
Delivering flood relief schemes is complex and it takes time for the detailed engineering assessment to ensure that the most appropriate design is chosen.
The decision on the preferred planning route has considered the overall timeframe with delivering the scheme and associated risks for each possible consent route. The estimated timescale for submission of planning for the overall flood relief scheme is by early 2026, with the scheme completed in 2030. The Steering Group, overseeing the Scheme’s delivery, is continuing to explore the possibility of advance works, so that protection for parts of Midleton may be achieved earlier.
Chief Executive of Cork County Council, Moira Murrell added,
“We have been working closely with the Office of Public Works to mitigate against the risk of flooding in Midleton and across the wider East Cork area. We have and continue to deliver interim measures and are working to progress the Midleton Flood Relief Scheme. While these measures are being implemented, we have also secured funding from the OPW to deliver this Individual Property Protection Scheme.”
The Minister further announced funding from the OPW to Cork County Council for additional staffing resources to enable the assignment of a dedicated team to the Midleton Flood Relief Scheme.
Minister O’Donnell concluded
“I and my officials will continue to work with Cork County Council in advancing these important flood relief projects for the people of Midleton and East Cork.”
Delivery of all flood relief measures is funded by the Government’s €1.3bn for flood relief measures under the National Development Plan.
NOTES
Please see links below to press releases announcing funding approval for Minor Flood Mitigation Works and Coastal Protection works for Killeagh and Castlemartyr, County Cork.