MINISTER MORAN AT AHARE BRIDGE

AS part of an ongoing campaign to tackle issues of flooding and erosion at the Ahare river in Castletown, TD Kevin Boxer Moran was invited by Minister Michael D’Arcy to visit the site.

Kevin Boxer Moran is Minister of State for the Office of Public Works and flood relief and he met with local campaigners and councillors to discuss the main issues and generate ideas.

At the October meeting of Gorey Municipal District, Councillor Joe Sullivan was appointed as a representative in the formation of a working group.

A spokesperson for Wexford County Council said that the working group would be the key mechanism going forward with the project.

‘We will be engaging with the Office of Public Works but it is premature until we have the necessary reports and estimates of cost etc. A survey will be carried out as part of the study which will include an engineering solution, environmental impact study and an economic assessment.

‘We do not currently have a time scale for actual works to commence but our working group, which includes local residents and environmental activists, will keep the locals up to date,’ the spokesperson said.

The environment department of Wexford County Council have engineers and scientists who work on the case in addition to the study.

Councillor Sullivan said that he expects Wexford County Council will engage immediately with the office of public works following Friday’s meeting.

‘They will conduct a survey on the condition of bridge, the flood plane and the condition of the river to see how solid the bridge is. We hope in the long run to bring back fish as well as flora and fauna to the river and its banks.

‘The 20 minute meeting consisted of local representatives and stakeholders and the consensus of the meeting was that we will work with all environmental groups both locally and nationally. I look forward to making significant progress in the coming months.

‘We were very happy with the interest that Minister Moran has shown and his willingness to assist us in insuring the bridge is safe and the river is resorted to what it was,’ he said.

The campaign began when this was first highlighted at a public meeting in September, which called for an end to dangerous flooding on the bridge.

Pat Kinsella, Jack Kavanagh, Cllr Diarmuid Devereux, Cllr Joe Sullivan, Minister Michael D’Arcy, Joe O’Shaughnessy, Sean O’Shaughnessy and Pat O’Keeffee at last week’s visit to Ahare Bridge. Pat Kinsella speaking to Minister Kevin Boxer Moran.

Cllr Diarmuid Devereux, Tom Enright, CEO Wexford County Council; Tom O’Loughlin, Minister Kevin ‘Boxer’ Moran and Minister Michael D’Arcy during last week’s visit to Courtown.