Engineers appointed for Cavan Town Flood Relief Scheme

Cork-based consultancy firm Byrne Looby will carry out the design of the Cavan Town Flood Relief Scheme.

A team of consultant engineers have been appointed to oversee the future development of the Cavan Town Flood Relief Scheme.

The proposed Flood Relief Scheme for Cavan Town will be subject to project-level assessment and planning (exhibition and confirmation). The proposed defences will protect 110 properties- 54 homes and 56 non-residential properties.

Minister of State with responsibility for the Office of Public Works (OPW), Patrick O’Donovan, T.D., today (May 26) visited Cavan Town to officiate at the appointment by Cavan County Council of Byrne Looby Consulting Engineers Ltd.

The award-winning Cork-based consultancy firm will carry out the design of the Cavan Town Flood Relief Scheme.

Delivered in partnership with the OPW, the Cavan Town Flood Relief Scheme is part of the Government’s investment under Project Ireland 2040 of €1.3 billion in flood relief to protect communities across Ireland from the impacts of climate change through future-proofed, adaptable flood relief schemes.

Welcoming the appointment, Minister O’Donovan said: “The appointment of consultants today by Cavan County Council, working closely with the Office of Public Works, means that this Government – in just four years – has increased to ninety, the number of flood relief schemes being delivered across the country. For the local community in Cavan, it means that 54 homes and 56 non-residential properties at risk of flooding in the town will be protected when this flood relief scheme is completed. The scheme design will be developed by the consultants in consultation with the community, who will have the opportunity to engage with the proposals through extensive public consultation throughout the process.”

Chief Executive of Cavan County Council, Tommy Ryan, added that the estimated investment of over €7 million represents a significant expansion of Cavan Town’s flood defences. “The project will ultimately provide vital flood protection measures to homes and businesses in the area and will build on the extensive flood risk research already conducted for Cavan Town as part of the CFRAM Study. We look forward to working closely with the Office of Public Works to bring this landmark scheme to completion.”

The proposed Flood Relief Scheme for Cavan Town will be subject to project-level assessment and planning (exhibition and confirmation) and may include a series of hard defences, including flood embankments and walls.

These proposed hard defences with an average height of 1.4m and a total length of 2km would protect properties to the 1% (or 1 in 100) Annual Exceedance Probability flood standard.

Cathaoirleach of Cavan County Council, Cllr Clifford Kelly welcomed the appointment and described it as a “significant milestone” .

Encouraging all stakeholders to “have their say”, he said by participating in the public consultation the opinions of people “will form part of the project’s planning and detailed design stages.”