THE people of Bantry are being urged to turn up in great numbers for a public consultation event about the flood relief scheme.

The preferred option for the Bantry Flood Relief Scheme, which at this stage is expected to cost €6.7m, will be presented by members of the design team of EGIS and JBA Consulting Engineers, the Office of Public Works, and Cork County Council on Wednesday December 10th at the Maritime Hotel.

Independent Ireland Cllr Danny Collins urged Bantry’s townspeople to attend saying: ‘The representatives will be there to receive feedback so everyone, including members of the public, business people, and other interested parties, will have a chance to express their point of view.’

Cllr Collins, who twice tabled a motion calling for a timeline for the design, tender, and construction of a new subterranean culvert for the town, said he felt encouraged by a response by senior council engineer Catherine Murphy.

At a meeting of the Western Divisional committee Ms Murphy said Cork County Council, in partnership with the Office of Public Works is ‘actively advancing plans to upgrade the existing stone masonry arch culvert running through Wolfe Tone Square, New Street and Bridge Street in Bantry’.

In October 2025, she said the council completed the procurement process for technical advisors. Cllr Collins said her estimation that construction, subject to funding, would start in the second quarter of 2027 was ‘welcome news for the people of Bantry’.

Ms Murphy described it as ‘a very challenging project’ because major engineering works will have to be carried out on a live culvert, which carries heavy river flows in addition to surface water drainage, is subject to tidal forces, and is located in busy commercial area.

Cllr Danny Collins said after seven flood events in five years, he believes: ‘Residents will be delighted to see machines on the ground in the second quarter of 2027.’ But he cautiously added: ‘Hopefully, this timeline will stand.’

At the same divisional meeting, Cllr John Collins (Ind Ire) tabled another flood related motion calling for an early warning and communication system for Bantry town.

Ms Murphy said the council’s operations teams already monitor the tidal, river and rainfall gauges, and engage directly with Met Eireann during periods of potential flooding, implementing response procedures as appropriate depending on the level of risk identified.

But she said the council will engage with the OPW and Met Eireann to review the existing gauging infrastructure within the catchment and identify if additional stations would allow for the development of a meaningful flood warning system to issue timely alerts.

This week Minister for Enterprise, Tourism and Employment Peter Burke formally opened the Emergency Humanitarian Flooding Scheme, which is administered by the Irish Red Cross.

The scheme can provide up to €5,000, depending on the scale of damage incurred, and where a property has incurred significant damages above €5,000, those affected may apply for additional financial support, with a cap of €20,000.