OPW: Office of Public Works
Oifig na nOibreacha Poiblí
Mansergh Announces Study On The Communication Of Flood Risk (Ballinasloe)
Monday 23rd August, 2010
PRESS RELEASE
Minister for State, Dr. Martin Mansergh, TD, is delighted to announce a study of communication of flood risk in a number of selected areas around the country, including Ballinasloe, County Galway. The study will seek the views of the public through a questionnaire survey that aims to determine how flood risk is perceived and how flood related information should best be communicated to ensure that it activates the appropriate public response. The questionnaire is not just for people who have been affected by floods - opinions from those who have not experienced floods are also valuable.
The study, recognising that public engagement and participation is a key element of effective flood risk management, will contribute to improving public resilience to the social, economic and environmental consequences of flood risk. The study is part of a wider European project called URflood that is investigating Uncertainty and Risk in flood communications. OPW together with the Centre for Water Resources Research in University College Dublin are conducting the Irish element of the research and the other partners include the Macaulay Land Use Research Institute in Scotland, the Finnish Environmental Agency (SYKE), the Centre for Inter-University Research (CIRPA) in Italy and Collingwood Environmental Planning in England.
The Minister encourages all members of the public who receive a questionnaire to take the short time needed to complete and return it, as a good response will help deliver better results for the study.
Ballinasloe was severely affected by extreme floods in November and December 2009. Several areas of the town were flooded by the River Suck and a substantial number of homes and businesses suffered damage.
In addition to the Urflood study, the Town Council and OPW are working together to identify other measures that might be brought forward in the short to medium term. The OPW will commission a major Catchment Flood Risk Assessment and Management Study (CFRAMS) for the Shannon catchment in the next few months. This will include an in depth study in Ballinasloe and will identify a variety of flood risk management measures.
The Town Council has already received funding from OPW for a series of measures including:
Raising a sluice gate at the Suck bridge (complete)
Construction of a flood wall at Derrymullen (planning obtained, detailed design and tender process ongoing).
Construction of a flood wall at Water Treatment Works
Improvement of flood capacity at the East Bridge (preparatory requirements ongoing)
A number of other options are under consideration and the Town Council will be applying to OPW for further funding in due course.
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For further information contact: -
Kevin Kennedy, OPW Press Office, (01) 647 6159