*Photograph: Gary Collins
“SEASONAL constraints” mean it will take twelve months before cleaning of the Corrovorrin River can take place.
An annual cleaning plan of the Corrovorrin River was sought by Cllr Pat Daly (FF) “from the Tulla Road Bridge back upstream, that existing unzoned lands along the length of the Corrovorrin river be kept free of any future development, and that existing green/biodiversity riverside corridors be protected and preserved”.
Paddy Tiernan, acting senior executive engineer in the Ennis Municipal District responding to Cllr Daly’s motion confirmed an inspection would take place “as soon as practicable based on weather conditions and river levels. Based on the level of intervention required it is our intention to apply for funding under the Climate Action Fund for 2025.
“A plan will be put in place to allow for works to be carried out within the next 12 months in line with seasonal constraints. We wish to advise that any such works will require appropriate environmental approvals as well as relevant permissions from both Inland Fisheries Ireland and National Parks & Wildlife Service. Whilst extensive annual maintenance may not be necessary on this section of river, we will certainly continue to inspect the watercourse on a regular basis”.
Acting senior executive planner with Clare County Council, Candace Ingram outlined, “The Corovorrin river plays a vital role in the overall water quality of the River Fergus. To protect the river and the function of the river corridor as both a flood plain for the Corrovorrin River and its function as a riparian zone, the Clare County Development Plan 2023-2029 includes policy and land-use zoning to protect both the river and its riparian corridor by zoning it as Buffer space from Kevin Barry Avenue to the confluence with the Fergus”.
She explained, “The Corrovorrin River riparian zone upstream of Kevin Barry Avenue to Dulick is zoned as Open Space which also influences the nature of future development that can be accommodated. The objective of zoning lands ‘open space’ is to retain it as an undeveloped open space mainly for passive open space related activities. As the Corrovorrin River is completely within Flood Zone A, which will influence the potential for future development along the river corridor, building climate change resilience into the County Development Plan was a central consideration to both the zoning of lands and the development of objectives for future sustainable growth. All land use zonings were assessed from a flood risk and environmental perspective to ensure resilience and adaptation were accounted for throughout. This led to the inclusion of significant areas of buffer zone which will be protected due to their location adjacent to river channels, the presence of important wildlife corridors or their importance for biodiversity”.
Speaking at the September meeting of the Ennis MD, Cllr Daly said Corrovorrin residents were “very worried”. He said the section of the river from the Tulla Rd to the graveyard needs to be cleaned on an annual basis. He asked if it would take twelve months to put a plan in place.
Support was voiced by Cllr Tom O’Callaghan (FF). “What I can take from this is the rising water levels that can happen, we had that issue in Clarecastle and have revised it on a long-term basis”. Cllr Paul Murphy (FG) also gave his backing to the proposal.
“We’re constrained seasonally and can only work in river in certain times of year which has commenced as of early September, there is a bit of work to do behind the scenes in liaising with Fisheries, NPWS in getting certain issues over the line which we can do before Christmas with a view to getting done next September, we can’t work in the rivers during the summer months because of salmon,” Tiernan told the meeting.
