Planning Application Submitted for Temporary Pumping Solution at Lough Funshinagh Ahead of this Winter

Minister of State at the Office of Public Works, Kieran O’Donnell T.D. and the Cathaoirleach of Roscommon County Council, Paschal Fitzmaurice today announced that a planning application is being submitted to An Bord Pleanála this week to develop an interim flood relief scheme to pump water from Lough Funshinagh and to discharge the water to the Cross River, within the townland of Carrick in County Roscommon.

Minister O’Donnell in welcoming this significant milestone said:

“Having met with local residents and elected representatives in Roscommon on four occasions since taking office, I know at first-hand how important today is for them and the wider community. Over the Summer I, and my OPW officials have engaged in intensive work with Roscommon County Council, engineering and environmental consultants and State Bodies to find a temporary solution ahead of this winter. Arrangements are in place with a specialist pumping firm to start pumping water from Lough Funshinagh within weeks, if planning consent is granted.”

The Cathaoirleach of Roscommon County Council said

“On behalf of the elected members of Roscommon County Council, I welcome this application to An Bord Pleanála for an interim flood relief scheme at Lough Funshinagh. We as members are confident in the extensive surveys and environmental assessments carried out by Roscommon County Council, the OPW and other key stakeholders in support of this application. I am delighted that a process capable of delivering meaningful flood relief and flood management has started and would hope that this process can reach a favourable conclusion as soon as possible”.

In June 2024 the Minister, his OPW officials and Roscommon County Council received a copy of a report by an Expert Working Group which highlights that the turlough is draining at a slower rate in recent years. Given the lake has reached record high levels last winter, the risk for the coming winter is that the turlough could overflow in an uncontrolled manner towards Curraghboy Village resulting in a flood risk for additional significant properties. The Expert report also highlighted how the excess water levels are having a negative impact on the qualifying interests of the Lough Funshinagh Special Area of Conservation and without managing the levels, the ecological status may worsen.

The aim of the interim measures is to control the flow of water to the Cross River by extracting a sufficient volume of water from Lough Funshinagh, to mitigate the possible increase in water levels and limit the peak water level that allows the flood risk next winter to the properties around Lough Funshinagh to be better managed.

Minister O’Donnell concluded with

“this temporary pumping solution would help to mitigate any further escalation in the flood risk for those families located around Lough Funshinagh.

Roscommon County Council have submitted an application to the OPW to install enhanced Individual Property Protection measures.

The interim flood relief measures announced today will be in place until the permanent measures to manage the flood risk at Lough Funshinagh are completed. Roscommon County Council and the Steering Group for the Lough Funshinagh Project are continuing to do the necessary work required to submit an application for planning consent to complete the permanent solution that involves a 3km underground overflow pipeline from Lough Funshinagh to the River Shannon. This work is expected to take several more months to complete.

As part of the interim measures the Minister highlighted there will be ongoing monitoring of water levels in Lough Funshinagh and in the Cross River.