Phase 1 of the Kenmare Flood Relief Scheme begins

ByrneLooby, an Ayesa Company appointed to the €5.4m scheme: the project will last 7 years approximately

News Release: Tuesday 2 August 2022
Background: Kenmare is a Heritage Town and popular tourist area in south Kerry with a population of around 2400 people. Flooding events have increased in the past two decades, with events in 2008, 2015 and in 2020, when businesses and homes in Kenmare were flooded during heavy rainfall, and €5.4 million was then allocated for mitigation works. The OPW and Kerry County Council appointed ByrneLooby, An ayesa company in June 2022 as engineering and Environmental Consultants for this new scheme.

Challenges: The town is at risk from coastal as well as fluvial flooding as it is set in the Bay of Kenmare, and this will need to be considered in the scheme selection. The town centre is a designated Architectural Conservation Area with protected structures. Significant consideration will be given to the potential loss of walls, railings, views and settings which would be deemed to have a significant negative impact on the character and built environment of critically important parts of the protected town centre and protected structures. Cultural heritage, as well as architectural conservation, will play a major part in the selection of flood risk management options. ByrneLooby an Ayesa company will work in partnership with Kerry County Council, OPW and the community of Kenmare in this project for a 7-year duration. Generally, it can take 24 months to complete the design and development of the scheme, and thereafter apply for planning permission.

Stage 1 of the Kenmare Flood Relief Scheme commences
The Cork Water Team has commenced work on stage 1 of the €5.4m Kenmare Flood Relief Scheme. This phase includes data collection, feasibility studies and environmental assessments, and in conjunction with public consultation, the preferred option is selected. Stage 2 includes environmental assessments and planning applications statutory consent. Detailed design of the scheme, the tender process and the awarding of the construction of the scheme to a contractor are part of stage 3. Stage 4 is the construction phase and the final and fifth stage is the handover of the completed scheme.

Some of the Flood relief schemes we are helping to deliver include:

1. Arklow FRS, Wicklow (€26m - Major Scheme)
2. Bandon FRS, Cork (€20.5, Major Scheme)
3. Crookstown FRS, Cork (€1m - Major Scheme)
4. Springfield FRS, Clare (€1.1m - Major Scheme)
5. River Dodder FRS Phase 3, Dublin (€4m - Major Scheme)
6. Graiguenamanagh-Tinnahinch FRS, Kilkenny (€9.5m - Major Scheme)
7. Ballyvaughan FRS, Clare (Minor Scheme)
8. Curraheen, FRS Cork (Minor Scheme)
9. Ballybofey-Stranorlar FRS Donegal (€1.9m Major Scheme)
10. Buncrana FRS, Donegal (€1.9m Major Scheme)
11. Ramelton FRS, Donegal (€6.8m Major Scheme)

12. Ballina FRS, Tipperary (€0.5m Major Scheme)
13. Knocklofty FRS, Tipperary (major scheme)
14. Holycross FRS, Tipperary (major scheme)
15. Cavan FRS, Cavan (€7.3m Major Scheme)
16. Kenmare FRS, Kerry (€5.4m Major Scheme)

More about our Flooding services here.

About the OPW
The Office of Public Works (OPW) is an Irish government office whose primary function is to support the implementation of government policy. The OPW advises the Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform and the Minister of State at that department, principally in the disciplines of property (including heritage properties) and flood risk management. More here.

About Ayesa

ByrneLooby is part of Ayesa. Ayesa is a global provider of IT and engineering services with over 6,300 employees and offices in 20 countries. The company develops and implements digital solutions for the private and public sectors and uses the latest technology to provide cutting-edge infrastructure design and supervision services. 

For further information

Siobhan Warfield-Beattie - Head of Marketing
SWarfield@ByrneLooby.com  
Tel: +353 86 8372328