No firm commitment that government departments will fund €3m needed for weir repair
There is still no firm commitment that government departments will fund the near €3m needed to repair a crumbling weir on the River Blackwater in Co Cork.
The county council can not afford the cost of repairing the weir in Fermoy and has lobbed various government department for funding, as yet without receiving any written commitment.
Mary Hayes, senior executive officer for the Charleville/Fermoy Municipal District Council, said that in the latest round of written correspondence, Sean Canny, Minister for State at the Department of Communications, Climate Action and Environment, said his department can not fund the work, "but will assist from a fisheries and environmental perspective".
In the meantime, he said he was seeking to get funding instead from the Department of Housing, Planning and Local Government for the project and will keep the council updated on any progress that is made.
The county engineer's department is continuing the process of progressing a tender to employ consultants to carry out a detailed design for the project.
However, Ms Hayes said that the council can only appoint them if the Department of Communications, Climate Action and Environment provides assurances that the capital cost of the weir repairs and the creation of a new fish pass are covered.
“It's grand to say a minister is going to assist us, but there is no timeframe on how much money we might get and when we'll get it. We need funding assurances as we (the council) have all our ducks in a row,” Cllr Frank O'Flynn said.
Ms Hayes said any political influence councillors could exert to get the project progressed would be welcome.
Cllr Noel McCarthy it would be crunch time when it came to appointing the consultants, which is expected to happen towards the end of March.
“This is very important to the people of Fermoy,” he added.
“I wish the report was stronger and that the money was ringfenced. One more flood and it's over,” Cllr Kay Dawson said.
“This process is taking a while and people in the town are very worried,” Cllr June Murphy said.
Fears have been raised that the water level is so low as the result of the weir collapse that the local rowing club may not be able to hold its summer regatta, which it has done for 100 years.
