The Indo has this today:
A €30M flood relief plan for one of Ireland's most picturesque towns has been attacked over its giant embankments and water-proof barriers, which could leave the area like "a Somme battlefield from World War I".
Fermoy Enterprise Board (FEB) is withdrawing its support from the Office of Public Works (OPW) project because of what it warned was totally inadequate consideration of alternatives and the long-term impact.
Fermoy wants the OPW to consider alternatives like a plan to raise the 70-odd flood-affected premises by up to five foot, which would cost around €10m, €20m less than the Government plan. FEB chairman Cllr Michael Hanley (Ind) said the €30m plan on the River Blackwater will involve:
* Erection of five-metre earthen embankments along river stretches.
* An increase in height of existing river walls.
* Concrete abutments which will allow water-proof panels to be erected when a flood is threatened.
* Installation of underground concrete walls in a bid to contain the flood.
"We saw last week in Beaufort, Co Kerry what can happen when a bridge is exposed to significant sidewards force. A bridge can take tremendous downwards force but lateral force is a totally different issue," he said.
The OPW dismissed the fears, and rejected suggestions that raising the flood-prone houses would solve the problem.
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