Consultants working on flood relief plans for South Galway and Oranmore-Kinvara are not ‘milking’ the process, Loughrea Municipal District was told this week.

In an update to councillors, Senior Engineer Enda Gallagher said the South Galway (Gort Lowlands) scheme had been referred back by the National Parks and Wildlife Service (NPWS) seeking additional environmental studies.

Those studies had now been carried out and were back with consultants on the project before they would be returned to the NPWS for their consideration “in the next two weeks”.

Meanwhile, the first draft of the Oranmore-Kinvara flood relief plan had been reviewed and was being updated.

“The interim report will be concluded before Christmas and we will use that to engage with the Office of Public Works (OPW),” he said.

The OPW will have responsibility for funding the eventual flood protection works that will be carried out.

The initial report identified some 45 properties in the area that would require flood-defence structures.

Cllr Martina Kinane (FF) said the process was “very slow” and while it was ongoing, business and homeowners such as those in Clarinbridge who were hammered by Storm Debi in November 2024, were living in fear of another major weather event.

“You have said that the interim report will be completed before Christmas and then it’s going back to the OPW. Is that for long-term solutions only, or will it include short-term interventions?,” asked Cllr Kinane, who also sought clarity on how the owners of the 45 properties identified as being ‘at risk’ would be engaged with.

Mr Gallagher said further consultation would be held with those property owners once the interim report was completed and he would be available to assist them.

“It is long-term solutions with long-term benefits we are looking at here,” he added.

Cllr Gerry Finnerty (FF) said there was a sense among some members of the public that there was too much consultation going on and not enough action.

“People are asking if this situation is being milked by consultants,” he said.

“They seem to be going backwards and forwards – they’ll come up with one idea. Then they’ll say, ‘no’, and go back to the start again,” added Cllr Finnerty.

Mr Gallagher said the plan for the Gort Lowlands scheme had to cover a “monstrous” area and there were a significant number of environmental hurdles they had to jump.

In addition, he said consultants had to deal with an evolving situation because with every flood relief scheme that was developed nationwide, new methodologies were being utilised and each of these had to be considered for Galway.

“I genuinely don’t think consultants are taking advantage.

“Our hands are tied and we are in a process that is very onerous,” said Mr Gallagher.

Pictured: Cllr Gerry Finnerty…too much consultation and not enough action.