Boxer and Roscommon council turn on pumps to manage water levels at Lough Funshinagh

Minister of State at the Office of Public Works Kevin ‘Boxer’ Moran and the Cathaoirleach of Roscommon County Council, Paschal Fitzmaurice, today turned on the interim pumping solution, to help manage the flood risk at Lough Funshinagh, pending the completion of a permanent scheme.

Minister Moran praised the work of An Taoiseach, An Tánaiste and former Ministers for the OPW, Kieran O’Donnell and Patrick O’Donovan to identify this interim solution for Lough Funshinagh.

The Minister thanked the Cathaoirleach of Roscommon County Council for the council’s work and resilience with finding a workable interim solution for Lough Funshinagh and for the council’s ongoing emergency response to managing the flood risk to the affected lakeshore communities.

The Minister said: "Today is a very positive day and would not have been possible without the support and constructive engagement of the residents from Lough Funshinagh. Their deep connection with Lough Funshinagh and its preservation has been to the fore throughout this process notwithstanding the challenges they faced from the flood risk to their homes and businesses.”

The Minister also paid tribute to the landowners who are providing access on their lands for these interim works and this was a further indication of how this scheme was only made possible by the strong community that supported Roscommon County Council, and the OPW during the planning process and now for the execution of the interim works.

The Cathaoirleach of Roscommon County Council, Paschal Fitzmaurice, said: “On behalf of the elected members of Roscommon County Council, I welcome this significant milestone and the peace of mind it gives to local residents and landowners after years of distress. In addition, we as members are confident that the ongoing surveys and environmental assessments being carried out by Roscommon County Council, the OPW and other key stakeholders will pave the way for a permanent solution in the not too distant future.

"With the support of the OPW, Roscommon County Council hope to submit the planning application for a permanent solution towards the end of this year. In the meantime, I am delighted to have this temporary pumping solution in operation, as it will ensure the devastation caused by flooding at numerous locations around the lake in recent years will not be repeated.”

Civil and mechanical works were by Donegal company, Source Civil Limited and Dutch company Holland Special Pumps. The Minister and the Cathaoirleach highlighted that the work would not have been possible without the flood risk management expertise and specialists pumping solutions in the Netherlands. They both acknowledged the world class approach by the Netherlands to managing its flood risk and Ireland’s strong relations with the Netherlands continues to inform our policies, plans and solutions for managing Ireland’s flood risk.

The interim scheme involves water from Lough Funshinagh being pumped over ground for more than two kilometers to the Cross River near Curraghboy in the townland of Carrick. The project team of consultants (ARUP and Malachy Walsh & Partners) have designed the scheme to minimise and mitigate against environmental impacts at Lough Funshinagh, along the pump route, at the point of discharge and within the Cross River catchment.

In accordance with planning approval granted by An Bord Pleanála, the pumps will operate on a temporary basis in order to minimise damage to property and infrastructure while a second planning application for a permanent flood management solution is being prepared. The temporary scheme also includes ongoing monitoring of water levels in Lough Funshinagh and in the Cross River.

Roscommon County Council acknowledged Ryan-Hanley and Callington Limited for the important role they played in the delivery of the interim scheme. The council also acknowledged and thank the dedicated staff of the Athlone Municipal District for supporting local communities through a series of unprecedented flooding events, providing property protection measures, and facilitating this temporary pumping scheme.

Lough Funshinagh is designated as a Special Area of Conservation.

This turlough has not emptied since 2004. Since 2015/2016, the levels in Lough Funshinagh have peaked at new recorded levels. The water levels at Lough Funshinagh reached a new record level in April 2024, some 3.3m higher than the average levels and this excess is spread across some 175 hectares of lands.

During the Winter periods sandbags and pumping kept the water back from people’s properties, where the actual levels of water are above the road levels and floor levels of their homes. Some nine properties around the perimeter of Lough Funshinagh are at risk and two households had to evacuate their homes. This has occurred up to three times for some of these homeowners since 2015/2016.

The impact is greatest at three of the seven townlands/locations straddling Lough Funshinagh, Lisphelim, Ballagh and Currraghboy. Farm sheds were submerged and roads have been closed to the public and remained closed for months. These roads remained open for local use but there have been health and safety concerns with their use.