Minister announces progress of Kilkenny village flood relief scheme

Kevin “Boxer” Moran TD, Minister of State with responsibility for the Office of Public Works (OPW) announced today, that following OPW approval, Kilkenny County Council submitted a planning application for the Graignamanagh-Tinnahinch Flood Relief Scheme to An Coimisiún Pleanála for planning consent on December 13.

Minister Moran said: “I am pleased to announce that following OPW approval, Kilkenny County Council submitted a planning application for a flood relief scheme for Graignamanagh-Tinnahinch to provide protection against significant flood events”.

“I wish to acknowledge the support from the community in Graignamanagh and Tinnahinch that was valuable to inform the design of a scheme for the area, which will protect some 84 properties, 53 commercial and 31 residential”.

Flood events of late 2015 and early 2016 affected the Carlow and Graignamanagh area within the Barrow River Basin. In 2020, following the Government’s introduction of Flood Risk Management Plans, Kilkenny County Council with funding from the OPW appointed Byrne Looby (now Ayesa) engineering and environmental consultants to design a flood relief scheme for Graignamanagh-Tinnahinch.

The Preferred Option identified for Graignamanagh-Tinnahinch includes raised defences on the River Barrow along with raised defences and an upstream storage area on the River Duiske to prevent flooding.

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Where possible, new flood defence walls will replace existing walls throughout the scheme. These defences will protect properties from the 1% AEP (100 year) fluvial flood event.

The announcement is the outcome of detailed engineering analysis, environmental assessments and engagement with the public on the sources of flooding from the Barrow to the Duiske Rivers and the options to protect Graignamanagh-Tinnahinch.

Minister Moran concluded by highlighting the Government is investing some €113m in flood relief schemes completed and underway across counties Kilkenny and Carlow. The Ballyhale Flood Relief Scheme has received planning consent and is currently at Stage 3 Detailed Design and Tender for Construction.

Minor works funding was approved in Tinnahinch to raise the level of a wall downstream of Graignamanagh Bridge, and to provide a demountable flood gate to isolate an area from flooding Mill Race, and to provide demountable flood gates to each of the properties.

The cost of these schemes will be met from the Government’s commitment to managing Ireland’s flood risk through the financial provisions for flood relief measures set out in the National Development Plan.

The design of this and all flood relief schemes is future proofed and is adaptable to meet the increasing flood risk from climate change. 

In addition to these major schemes, the OPW has approved approximately €1.4m to Kilkenny County Council under the Minor Flood Mitigation Works and Coastal Protection Scheme for localised flood relief works across 18 other locations in the county.

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