Coachford flood study receives additional OPW funding

Cork County Council has secured an additional €63,365 from the Office of Public Works (OPW) to progress a flood scoping report for Coachford village.

The study will investigate the causes of flooding in the area and identify preferred flood relief options. The latest allocation brings total funding for the project to €129,785. Minister Kevin “Boxer” Moran announced the approval under the OPW’s Minor Flood Mitigation Works and Coastal Protection Scheme.

The scheme, introduced in 2009, supports local authorities undertaking minor works or studies to address localised flooding and coastal protection problems. It generally applies where a solution can be readily identified and delivered within a short time frame. Since its introduction, 75 funding applications from Cork County Council have been supported.

Works that are normally a local authority’s responsibility are generally not eligible for OPW funding. However, partial funding may be considered where those works would also reduce flood risk to properties. Local authorities must be satisfied that proposed works will not significantly increase flood risk elsewhere, and each authority is responsible for starting and progressing any approved works.

Further information, including annual lists of approved projects, is available at https://www.floodinfo.ie/minor-works/. A county funding summary is available at https://www.floodinfo.ie/county-summary/. Queries can be sent to the OPW press office at [email protected].

The OPW can also be followed on Twitter, Facebook and Instagram at @opwireland, and on LinkedIn as Office of Public Works.