Fianna Fáil TD Catherine Ardagh has called on the Office of Public Works to accelerate the Camac flood alleviation scheme.
The Dublin South Central’s comments came in the wake of the Head of Flood Risk Management, Jim Casey, confirming to her that the project has been “significantly delayed”.
Casey said that the scheme has faced “major setbacks” due to problems with the hydraulic modelling carried out by an external consultancy.
Ardagh said that poor planning by the OPW is a small consolation to residents who run the risk of having their homes flooded by the Camac.
“There are hundreds of homes across Inchicore that could literally fall into the Camac River; there are no ifs about it, it happened in January.”
“A couple in Inchicore saw large parts of their home collapse into the river in a matter of moments, potentially facing repair costs over €100,000.”
“Not only did the consultants underdeliver on essential modelling, which has caused significant delay, but the OPW then retained them to correct their own mistakes. There must be greater accountability within state bodies when work is outsourced to private companies,” Ardagh said.
Ardagh said, “delays caused by the failure of third-party companies hired by the OPW are completely unacceptable when so many homes are at risk. Hundreds of homeowners are worried sick that their property could be next”
The Fianna Fáil TD noted that the Camac’s catchment area contains a large number of buildings that have been identified as being potential flood risks.
The scheme, to protect the homes, comes with a €50 million price tag and would protect around 413 properties which have been identified as a flood risk.
The scheme, in the grand Irish tradition, is merely in the design stage with no firm construction date in sight.
Ardagh asked if construction could begin by this time next year – she was told “absolutely not” at a recent Oireachas committee.
Ardagh was told that “inadequacies” in the modelling work have pushed the scheme onto a much longer timeline.
Casey confirmed there have been additional costs as a result of the remodelling, though responsibility for those costs has not yet been decided.
Ardagh said that homeowners near the river “deserve certainty” and “fast action” from the OPW.
“The delays we are seeing here could put homes and even lives at risk. This cannot be allowed to continue, and I will be following up with the OPW to ensure there is real urgency behind the delivery of the scheme,” she said.