Raising of flood-hit road "unlikely" before next winter

The planned raising of the road surface in an area of Athlone that has battled flooding over the years is "unlikely" to be carried out before next winter.

At the January meeting of the Athlone Moate Municipal District, Cllr Aengus O'Rourke asked for an update on "the plan to raise the Carrickobrien / Golden Island road".

A written response from the council stated that there was a need for "a multidisciplinary consultant framework" to deliver the Carrickobrien road raising project and other similar projects in the district.

The local authority said the tendering process for this "consultant framework" would be commencing in the coming weeks.

In a follow-up question, Cllr O'Rourke asked: "Will we see that road work commence in advance of next winter? Is that likely or unlikely?"

Acting District Engineer Denis Sloyan replied that work on site before next winter was "unlikely" given the nature of the studies that need to be carried out by the consultants.

"We would be worried that (without these studies) we could raise the road and it could just sink again," he added.