Value for Money Issues

1. Office of Public Works

• 2018 Office of Public Works - North Western - Flood Risk Management Plan Report is incomplete.
• Clonmany AFA has been assigned as a low/no risk AFA ( Page 13 )
• Clonmany has not been analysed for historical flooding ( Page 23 & 24 )
• 25 of 26 Donegal AFAs have been historically analysed for flooding
• Non-existent Hydrometric Gauges data affected this decision yet the 'Ballynahallan River' is a 'significant flood risk' ( Page 76 )
• Clonmany Historical Flooding (non-exhaustive) evidence includes
• multiple Cloudbursts
• multiple Bursting of Riverbanks
• multiple Landslides
• Clonmany Community Centre flooding
• Clonmany Wastewater Treatment Plant flooding
• Clonmany Shamrocks FC facilities flooding
• multiple House and Business flooding
• Riverside Park Estate flooding ( Defective Blocks )
• Big Bridge partial destruction (2017) & four bridges swept away (1945)
• Glenevin Walk destruction
• livestock fatalities
• 'narrow escapes' & near fatalities
• “it’s a miracle that nobody drowned” Mickey Devlin (2:40)
• the unfortunate fatality of a young boy swept away in a historical flood

 

It is essential the Office of Public Works correctly assesses the Flood Risk to the Clonmany area. Flood risk assessments are crucial for a variety of reasons, including:

• Protecting Lives and Property
• Informing Planning and Development
• Managing Natural Resources
• Improving Community Preparedness
• Economic Impact
• Cost Effectiveness

 

In the aftermath of the devastating 2017 flood in Inishowen, the Irish Government mobilized the Irish Army and rightly provided humanitarian aid to those persons and organisations affected, just as they have done to other flooding affected communities throughout Ireland. This comes at a cost to the Irish Taxpayer. Thus, it is imperative that the Office of Public Works try to mitigate these costs to the Irish Taxpayer by planning ahead and implementing proactive measures. While proactive measures require upfront investment, they are often more cost-effective in the long run compared to reactive responses to major flood events. The costs of emergency response, recovery, and reconstruction can be significantly higher.

Clonmany Flooding History clearly shows that Clonmany is NOT a ‘low/no risk AFA’, both the Topographical Characteristics Analysis of the Clonmany region and its history of Cloudburst and Landslides attest to this.

The floods of 23rd Nov 2018 (Malin Head Rainfall 10.5mm) and the 10th May 2019 (Malin Head Rainfall 17mm) highlight the need for a managed solution of clearing debris from the Clonmany River. This proactive measure could turn out to be extremely Cost Effective to the Irish Taxpayer. In Malin Head, there has been 1790 days of daily recorded rainfall of 10.5mm or more between 1st May 1955 and 31st Dec 2024.

Did this 2018 Office of Public Works North Western Flood Risk Management Plan report feed into or influence the Donegal County Council County Development Plan 2024-2030, Final Strategic Flood Risk Assessment report? The Clonmany Historical Flooding section would suggest that the Strategic Flood Risk Assessment report's 1 in 100 years, 1 in 200 years and 1 in 1000 years events are inconsistent with and do not reflect the flooding history for the Clonmany area.

 

2. Donegal County Council

Clonmany Enterprise Development Ltd lodged a planning application (Planning File Number : 2460275) to develop the Parochial Field in Clonmany village. Donegal County Council Planning Department granted planning permission approval on the 22/08/2024. This planning application has been appealed to An Bord Pleanála ( PL05E.320849 ).

A manufactured riverside embankment was discovered at the bottom of the Parochial Field after the planning application was lodged.

The Parochial Field has historically been a Flood Plain. It was not unusual for the floodwaters to be half way up the field and in exceptional circumstances come up close to the old, now white stone wall (now gone) at the main road. The Parochial Field would provide relief for the rapid floodwaters.

This embankment was built after the 2017 devastating flood in the Parochial Field, owned by Clonmany Enterprise Development Ltd. In contrast, Clonmany Shamrock FC abandoned their proposed new football pitch development, directly across the river from this newly constructed embankment in light of the 2017 flood.

Donegal County Council Planning Department were made aware of this new riverside embankment in a planning objection by John Bradley. Concerns were raised that this embankment could lead to Potential Amplified Flooding in the following areas

• 1. Potential Amplified Flooding of multiple Elderly Residents
• 2. Potential Amplified Flooding of Riverside Park Estate (50+ Defective Blocks Homes)
• 3. Potential Amplified Flooding upstream of Shamrock Park (Clonmany Shamrock FC) and the adjacent Clonmany Community Centre
• 4. Potential Amplified Flooding upstream of Clonmany Wastewater Treatment Plant



All of these persons/areas/facilities were highly impacted in the devastating 2017 flood; sewage waste from the flooded Clonmany Wastewater Treatment Plant having a devasting impact on the Clonmany Community Centre and Clonmany Shamrock FC facilities.

During the planning application process, this riverside embankment was strengthened, enlarged in height and depth during the time of ESB Networks infrastructure development in the Parochial Field. Donegal County Council Planning Department were made aware of this during a phone call, prior to the planning decision.

The construction of this embankment in has several implications and risks related to health, safety, environmental concerns, and flooding which can leave the Irish Taxpayer exposed from

• Additional costs of emergency response, recovery, and reconstruction due to increased flooding events.
• Health : Associated costs with increased waterborne diseases risk
• Health : Associated costs due to increased Mold and Dampness, exacerbate respiratory conditions
• Health : Associated costs due to increased psychological stress and anxiety for residents, particularly the elderly and those living in the defective blocks housing estate.
• Safety : Associated costs due to need for Emergency Evacuations systems
• Safety : Exacerbate Structural Failures – Defective Block Houses – Negligence Claims
• Environmental : Habitat Disruption - Impact on local ecosystems – Penalties & Fines



If the embankment is found to have worsened flooding or endangered lives, local authorities may face legal challenges from affected residents. Negligence claims, breach of duty of care claims, violation of environmental regulations claims and human rights claims.

Could this embankment force residents to abandon homes, leading to social and economic displacement at a cost to the Irish Taxpayer?

Could this embankment lead to the need for a larger or more flood-resilient bridge design?

Could this embankment lead to installing or enhancing weather monitoring and flood warning systems to give residents sufficient time to evacuate?

Could this embankment lead to increased flow velocity? Could this increased flow velocity increase debris build up at the Big Bridge? When floodwater is constrained by an embankment, it can increase the velocity of the flow. This can lead to increased erosion and damage to the embankment itself, as well as to structures along the riverbank. Would the local authority and Irish Taxpayer be liable?

Could the local authority be hit with Penalties and Fines? Environmental damage or regulatory violations could result in substantial fines for the local authority.

 

3. Flood Relief Funding

In the aftermath of the devastating 2017 flood Inishowen Rivers Trust implemented their 'Slow the Flow - Leaky Dams Project'. Using Natural Flood Management techniques, the aim of the project is to 'Slow the Flow' of floodwaters impacting the village of Clonmany and the surrounding areas.

Inishowen Rivers Trust - Natural Flood Management - Clonmany

While the ‘Leaky Dams Project’ is a brilliant initative, it is not a solution to ‘cure’ or ‘prevent’ flooding in the Clonmany area. The following quotes from the ‘Night of the Big Flood’ video highlight this. This video was produced by Inishowen Rivers Trust and launched on YouTube, 17th February 2022. This video also details the subsequent great work done by both the Inishowen Rivers Trust and the local farmers in installing Leaky Dams on the local rivers and tributaries in Clonmany Parish.




“... we've got more rain falling now than before, we've drained our landscape significantly so everything's shooting down during those peak flood events and this is an attempt to hold it back .. this is prevention rather than cure and repair ...”

Ross Buchanan (33:06)
Irish Forestry

 




“... these natural flood management methods can help to alleviate the flooding ... it’s not going to prevent flooding but it can certainly alleviate the impacts of flooding ...”

Trish Murphy (33:47)
Inishowen Rivers Trust




Funding for the ‘Slow the Flow – Leaky Dams Project’ has come from both an EU Programme and Irish State bodies.




“The Inishowen Rivers Trust has recently been awarded €135,000 from the EU LEADER Programme, OPW, Local Authority Waters Programme (LAWPRO) and Donegal County Council to bring nature-based flood solutions to the Clonmany area. Over the last three years the Trust has increased our knowledge of Natural Flood Management (NFM) through a series of awareness raising events, a scoping project with Trinity College and community engagement in Carndonagh and Clonmany.”

NFMClonmany - Inishowen Rivers Trust

 

Thus, with the implementation of the 'Leaky Dams' project and the lack of action regarding the 'Manufactured Riverside Embankment', we are left with the following flood scenario,

Slow the Flow

followed by

Increase the Flow

 

With regard to “The Committee seeks to ensure that taxpayers receive value for money”, the following situation arises

• Office of Public Works has classified Clonmany as a low/no risk AFA
• Has proper due diligence been applied in this low/no risk designation?
• Has this report feed into or influenced the Donegal County Council County Development Plan 2024-2030, Final Strategic Flood Risk Assessment report?


• The devastating 2017 Flood in Inishowen resulted in
• Irish Army being deployed
• Humanitarian Aid provided by the Irish State
• Award winning Donegal County Council response to flood.


• Riverside Embankment built in the Parochial Field
• Potential increased flow velocity
• Potential amplified flooding of
• 1. Potential Amplified Flooding of multiple Elderly Residents
• 2. Potential Amplified Flooding of Riverside Park Estate (50+ Defective Blocks Homes)
• 3. Potential Amplified Flooding upstream of Shamrock Park (Clonmany Shamrock FC) and the adjacent Clonmany Community Centre
• 4. Potential Amplified Flooding upstream of Clonmany Wastewater Treatment Plant
• Donegal County Council alerted to the existence of this riverside embankment and the enlargement of this embankment during the planning process. There appears to be a lack of action regarding the potential flooding threats that this embankment creates.

 

These issues point to the lack of a coherent, long-term strategy with regard to flooding in the Clonmany area. The approach that has been taken will potentially prove costly to the Irish Taxpayer.

Regarding potential flooding in the Clonmany area, there would appear to be an

• Absence of Vision: No overarching goals or direction for the future.
• Fragmentation: Efforts may be disjointed, with departments or individuals working in isolation rather than collaboratively.
• Short-term Thinking: A focus on immediate concerns without considering sustainability or future consequences.
• Ineffectiveness: Actions may fail to produce meaningful progress or align with broader objectives.

 

The Office of Public Works not carrying out proper due diligence (2018 : no historical flooding analysis and no hydrometric gauging station data) on the flood risk in Clonmany, yet providing funds for the Inishowen Rivers Trust ‘Slow the Flow – Leaky Dams Project’ is bewildering.

Donegal County Council not carrying out proper due diligence on the reported Riverside Embankment and the removal of a flood plain that could amplify the flood risk in Clonmany is extremely concerning. They also, have provided funding for the Inishowen Rivers Trust ‘Slow the Flow – Leaky Dams Project’. This fragmented approach to flooding in Clonmany needs to be addressed.

All of these issues clearly show that the Public Accounts Committee needs to investigate ‘Public Expenditure’ ‘to ensure that taxpayers receive value for money’ with regard to Flooding in the Clonmany area. The current situation is unacceptable to the people of Clonmany and the Irish Taxpayers.

 

The County Donegal Development Plan 2024-2030 includes the following as one of the "three regional pillars of growth that are reflected in the objectives and policies of the Plan" (Vision and Ambition - Page 6)

iii. Social and Community Cohesion and Wellbeing.

What will the "Social and Community Cohesion and Wellbeing" be in Clonmany, after the next devastating flood, if this riverside embankment remains in place?

 

These issues need to be investigated by the Public Accounts Committee.