€83 million announced for five flood relief schemes in Louth

An investment of €83 million for five flood relief schemes in Louth has been announced, by Minister of State for the Office of Public Works (OPW) and Flood Relief, Kevin Boxer Moran.

Minister Moran was in Louth today where he met with elected members and officials from Louth County Council to put in place arrangements for the advancement of flood relief schemes in the county. Details of the schemes to be advanced by Louth County Council under the OPW’s Flood Risk Management Plans are at the bottom of this article.

The Minister had the following to say about the investment:

"I am delighted to be here in Louth today and to meet with the elected members and officials of Louth County Council. County Louth has five schemes, which have been prioritised in the first tranche of schemes to be progressed.

"We are meeting today to examine how to deliver on the flood risk management plans for the county and have agreed mechanisms for the progression of flood relief schemes for Dundalk/Blackrock South; Carlingford/Greenore; Drogheda; Baltray and Ardee.

"These schemes involve an investment of over €83 million and once completed will provide flood protection to over 2,300 properties in Louth. Louth County Council will be leading on the implementation of these five projects in collaboration with my Office".

The details of the schemes are as follows: 

Dundalk/Blackrock South

• Estimated cost of €40.54 million.
• Will provide protection to 1,737 properties when completed.
• Works include hard defences, including flood embankments, demountable barriers, rock armour coastal protection, road raising and channel conveyance.

Carlingford/Greenore

• Estimated cost of €23.41 million.
• Will provide protection to 296 properties.
• Works include a series of flood embankments, walls and tow pumping stations.

Drogheda

• Estimated cost of €16.83 million. 
• Will provide protection to 240 properties.
• Proposed measures that may be implemented after project-level assessment and planning or Exhibition might include hard defences (embankments and walls) along the River Boyne and improvement of conveyance, hard defences and a flow diversion channel on various tributaries.

Baltray

• Estimated cost of €1.93 million. 
• Will provide protection to 44 properties.
• Proposed measures that may be implemented after project-level assessment and planning or Exhibition might include physical works, such as a series of hard defences (embankments and walls) constructed along a new line set back from the existing line of defences.

Ardee

• Estimated cost of €0.84 million.
• Will provide protection to 7 properties.
• Works will consist of a series of flood embankments and walls.