Stalled flood relief work to resume as issues resolved

A unknown issue which caused work to cease on a €16m flood relief project in Co Cork has been resolved.

Stalled flood relief work to resume as issues resolved

Heavy machinery which was being used by contractors for the flood relief scheme at Bandon was removed from the area more than a week ago.

Neither the OPW or the contractors, Wills Brothers Limited, would comment on what had led to this.

However, county council officials said yesterday that whatever the issue was, it had been resolved and work would re-start on the project immediately.

They said the OPW had confirmed to them that a new agreement had been reached with the contractors.

Councillor James O’Donovan said that while this was welcome news, councillors should be allowed to see details of the new agreement.

However, council officials said that while they will write to the OPW seeking it, the local authority wasn’t part of the agreement and the OPW could refuse to release it on the grounds that it is ‘commercially sensitive’.

“We don’t even know what they [the OPW and the contractors] were arguing about,” Mr O’Donovan said.

Councillors then criticised the OPW for failing to give them up-to-date information on the flood relief works.

Cllr Kevin Murphy said this was a big issue and Cllr Rachel McCarthy described it as very frustrating.

She said local people would ask her about what street closures were being planned as part of the works and she couldn’t tell them.

“We’re in the firing line because the public doesn’t realise it’s not our scheme but an OPW scheme,” she said.

Ms McCarthy said they were still none the wiser about rumours that the footbridge across the river might have to be taken down as part of the flood relief works.

“We should write to the minister [in charge of the OPW] saying we’re being left completely in the dark. The OPW should be answerable to somebody. We should be given ongoing information; it just shows a bit of respect to us as elected representatives,” Ms McCarthy said.

It was agreed to write to OPW minister Seán Canney expressing these concerns.

Cllr Gillian Coughlan said news that the flood prevention works were back on track was akin to lifting a cloud that was over the town in recent days.

She said it was vital that dredging works take place in the river before the winter because heavy rainfall in past winters had led to the town being flooded.

“I hope the new agreement [between the contractor and OPW] is not less comprehensive and that no corners are being cut,” Ms Coughlan said.

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