Roscommon County Council is to begin works to progress an engineered solution to flooding at Lough Funshinagh.
A series of man-made pipes are to be developed to draw water away from the flooded turlough, which is 550mm, or over 21 inches higher than it was this time in 2016, and has resulted in one home being flooded already this winter.
Director of Services Shane Tiernan explained at the February meeting of the local authority that pumping of flood waters at Lough Funshinagh was not a long term solution for the south Roscommon community living beside the turlough.
He explained that after consultations with several stakeholders, including the Council, the OPW, the National Parks and Wildlife Service,, the Department of Agriculture and Geological Survey Ireland, progress has been made to "fund, design and advance to planning a significant capital project" to resolve the flooding problem.
He outlined that the solution will drain off excess water levels from the lake as they occur and distribute the water through a chain of man-made and natural systems at a rate which will not impact on a receiving location.
He warned that the identified solution cannot be rushed or accelerated and a perfected special 'Part Ten' planning application would need to be made directly to An Bord Pleanala.
The planning and design work is likely to take up to 24 months to complete, with extensive surveys, some of which can only be carried out at certain times of the year, also being carried out.
Council CE Eugene Cummins said there was no other way to solve the flooding but through the planning process and the special Part Ten application was the best hope to resolve issues in the wider Rahara area.
