I was flabbergasted when I attended the CFRAM (Catchment Flood Risk Assessment Management) meeting which was held in Athleague on Wednesday as the views of local people who know how the flooding problems in the area can be solved were largely ignored
I couldn’t believe it when I saw that the Silver Stream, into which the Suck River overflows was not even included in the maps that we were shown, It would appear that no proper joined up thinking went into this at all on the part of the authorities. It is clear to me and many locals, that the pipes under the bridge in the village have to be taken out and proper culverts put in as part of any solution. In addition the mound that we constructed at Christmas should be rebuilt with white lock to strengthen it and make it more resistant to flood waters. That mound was not included either which is a mystery to local people.Trying to solve flooding issues in Athleague or anywhere else by looking at satellite images or sitting in an office looking into a computer simply will not work. Local people on the ground have to be consulted for any possible solution to work. The relief drain that locals have proposed for many years is also not included which is very disappointing. Let’s hope that the people from the CRAM programme go back now and evaluate what they have heard from local people who attended in such big numbers, and include that in any plan to solve this problem. It must be remembered that the taxpayer is paying for this process and we have to get it right,.