Laois County Council is today (Tuesday, October 28) submitting a planning application for the Mountmellick Flood Relief Scheme to An Coimisiún Pleanála.

In 2017, Mountmellick experienced severe flooding from the Owenass River and other tributaries of the River Barrow.

In 2019, Laois County Council, with funding from the Office of Public Works (OPW), appointed JBA Consulting and JB Barry and Partners (now Egis) engineering and environmental consultants to design a flood relief scheme for Mountmellick.

The scheme design comprises continuous flood defences to defend properties from flooding from the Owenass River, Garroon Stream, Pound River and Clontygar River.

The flood defences include a series of embankments; flood defence walls; a bridge replacement; culverts and a pumping station installation.

Mountmellick

Minister of State with responsibility for the OPW Kevin “Boxer” Moran confirmed that the planning application was being submitted following OPW approval.

He said the flood relief scheme for Mountmellick would "provide protection up to the level of a 1-in-100-year flood event".

The minister said the scheme will protect some 244 properties, including the 90 properties which experienced flooding in 2017.

He acknowledged the support from the community in Mountmellick "that was valuable to inform the design of a scheme for its town".

Minister Moran said that government is investing €50 million in flood risk management across Co. Laois, with Mountmellick one of three flood relief schemes for the county.

A flood relief scheme has already been submitted for planning for Clonaslee, which will protect 74 properties when completed.

A scheme for Portarlington is also being developed and is expected to be submitted for planning in 2026.

The OPW has also approved around €600,000 to Laois County Council under the Minor Flood Mitigation Works and Coastal Protection Scheme for localised flood relief works across eight other locations in the county.