Tanaiste to seek new legal advice on Lough Funshinagh flooding – Fallon

A local councillor has urged the Government to act now to save the villages of Ballagh, Curraghboy and Lisphelim.

The call from Cllr Laurence Fallon who said that Tanaiste Micheal Martin has now agreed to seek new legal advice on alleviating the flooding at Lough Funshinagh following proposals made to him earlier this week by Cllr. Laurence Fallon.

The Tanaiste had visited the flooded communities surrounding the lake in Ballagh, Lisphelim and Curraghboy earlier this week where he stated that the Attorney General’s advice was that the flooding was not an emergency and as such “it would be difficult to take a quantity of water out of the lake before next winter”.

Speaking following the visit, Cllr. Fallon said: “I pointed out to him that things have changed dramatically in the last year causing this to be a new emergency. Firstly, there are houses under much greater threat of flooding than they were this time last year

“Secondly, there are septic tanks and slurry tanks that are now much more likely to be flooded in the next few months and into next winter, creating an environmental emergency.”

He continued: “What may not have been an emergency when the High Court injunction was taken out two years ago is certainly an emergency now. I am pleased that the Tanaiste agreed to raise my points with the Attorney General, the Government’s legal advisor, and explore what impact they might have on the ability to lower the water level.”

Cllr. Fallon warned: “Without removing a certain quantity of water from the lake between now and Christmas we will not succeed in keeping the villages safe this year and I would appeal to al involved to act now to save the villages of Ballagh, Curraghboy and Lisphelim.”