€22M FLOOD DEFENCE CASH FOR KERRY

FOUR regions in Kerry are set to receive millions of Euro in funding for flood relief works with Tralee to be the biggest single beneficiary.

The county capital along with Kenmare, Abbeydorney and Banna have been included in a ten year €1 billion programme of Flood Relief Measures that were announced by Taoisaech Leao Varadkar and OPW Minister Kevin ‘Boxer’ Moran on Thursday.

The four Kerry schemes are part of the first €257 million tranche of funding under the scheme which will see flood protection measures provided in 50 areas nationwide.

This follows an assessment of 300 areas nationwide of which 118 were found to be vulnerable to floods. Of these the 50 announced last week were prioritised for delivery in the short term.

These schemes will all now proceed immediately to the detailed design and planning stage.

The Tralee scheme – which had been included in the Government’s ‘Ireland 2040’ plan and where up to 1,000 homes and businesses have been deemed to be at risk from flooding – will receive €15 million.

Tralee is one of five large-scale projects included in Tursday’s announcement.

Kenmare will benefit from funding of between €1million and €5 million while the schemes in Abbeydorney and Banna will receive €1 million each.

The planned flood defence works in Tralee and Kenmare will be overseen directly by the OPW while Kerry County Council will take responsibility for the works at Banna and Abbeydorney.

Minister Moran said he wanted to see defences built as fast as possible, and if local authorities had other schemes they believed should proceed, they should contact the OPW.