Foxford flood relief scheme review nearing completion

A SCHEME viability review into the proposed Foxford Flood Relief Scheme is nearing conclusion and should be published before the end of 2021.

The news was relayed to Deputy Dara Calleary in reply to a parliamentary question he placed to the Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform.

Deputy Calleary explained: “The Catchment-based Flood Risk Assessment and Management (CFRAM) study for the Moy and Killala Bay River Basin (referred to as Unit of Management UOM34 under the CFRAM Programme) did not identify any properties as being predicted to flood in the design events in Foxford, and so recommended non-structural methods only for this community.

“However, a very obvious discrepancy was identified between the CFRAM study and the subsequent devastating flood event of December 2015 and I insisted that Foxford be identified as requiring a scheme viability review.

“This involves looking again at the options for the community and trying to identify any new information or discrepancies with the CFRAM study, which may facilitate a more cost-effective scheme, and potentially result in an additional scheme being considered for the area.”

The Office of Public Works is currently undertaking this scheme viability review to determine whether a feasible scheme is possible for Foxford.

The review is nearing its conclusion, he said, and a report is expected with the findings at the end of this year.