*Cluain Airne. Photograph: Joe Buckley
PERMANENT MEASURES are needed to the drainage issues impacting on residents of Cluain Airne and Drumgeely.
Both Cllr Donna McGettigan (SF) and Cllr Pat O’Gorman (FF) tabled proposals before this month’s sitting of the Shannon Municipal District on the issue.
Cluain Airne and Drumgeely “are subject to flooding regularly”, Cllr McGettigan flagged as she encouraged the Shannon MD to seek funding to alleviate the problem. “Residents cannot get their bins in or out of their backyards without having to go through dirty water, at times the water comes into their gardens and sheds”.
A jetting of the drains was the appeal from Cllr O’Gorman “as they are blocked and the water on the ground has nowhere to go and is causing flooding”.
Senior executive engineer, Tom Mellett confirmed that a private contractor had been appointed “to work alongside our own teams to clear drains and gullies within the District”. He envisaged completion of the Cluain Airne drains by the beginning of December.
Shannon based, Cllr Gerry Flynn (IND) who told the meeting he lived in Cluain Airne for “many years” explained that the drainage was a “domestic type” with “commercial type gullies” required. “What will be done now will only satisfy it for a few months and it will have to be done again. The job now will only be a temporary measure,” he cautioned.
Agreement was voiced by Cllr McGettigan. “What’s in the reply is only a temporary measure, it needs a permanent measure”.
Separately, Cllr John Crowe (FG) requested all drains of housing estates and streets in Sixmilebridge be cleared. “As a result of leaves falling and heavy rain, it is causing major flooding that will only be exacerbated as the winter progresses if this is not addressed”.
Cllr Crowe said he was getting phone calls daily regarding flooding caused by full drains. “The water is flowing down from Gleeson’s side, every second day it is flooded, I have calls from all the different estates. By looking at the drains it would alleviate a lot of the flooding”.