River Shannon pinchpoints work still in ‘never, never land’
A €7m project to remove flooding pinchpoints on the River Shannon through the midlands is years away from taking place.
Almost four years after the €7m funding was announced in January 2020, just before the last general election for work between Meelick Weir and Athlone through much of south and west Offaly, it has emerged that tenders have not even been issued for a consultant to carry out a major environmental study of the proposal.
It means the likelihood of any work taking place in the coming years is slim, given the timescale involved in issuing and approving tenders, the consultant preparing the environmental report, the subsequent consideration of that environmental report, an application for planning permission, the ensuing planning process, and the appointment of any contractor.
The ongoing delays emerged when Minister of State with responsibility for the Office of Public Works Patrick O'Donovan confirmed in the Dáil last week that “a tender will issue shortly for an Ecological Consultant to carry out a high-level environmental study”.
He was responding to a question from Roscommon Galway TD Deputy Denis Naughten who told the Offaly Independent the response indicated work on the pinchpoints remained in "never, never land".
The Minister said the study would consider possible impacts of the excavation of material at key locations on the River Shannon channel, the longer term maintenance of the riverbed and any changes in water levels.
He said a steering group was in place from the Shannon Flood Risk State Agency Co-ordination Working Group to coordinate the project.
The Shannon Flood Risk State Agency Co-ordination Working Group met on October 11 last, he added. The Minister visited Banagher in the summer of 2021 to inspect some of the impediments in the river channel.
He also said in the Dáil in July 2021 that works could only begin after "the completion of the appropriate environmental assessments and following receipt of planning permission."
News that there is little sign of tangible progress on the proposed removal of pinchpoints will frustrate farmers and rural dwellers along the Shannon banks in the region.
Deputy Naughten conceded that issues surrounding Lough Funshinagh have had an impact on the planning process for such projects. However, he said the fact that a consultant had yet to be appointed showed the pinchpoints work "isn't the priority it should be or that we were led to believe it was".
Deputy Naughten added: "A lot of farmers along the river believe that these works are entirely insufficient. If we can't get something as basic as this progressed, how are we ever going to have any substantial works carried out," he asked.
In recent years, a local group, the Save our Shannon Organisastion has highlighted the ongoing urgent need for the work on the pinchpoints and the lengthy delays in the project.