Brian Hayes TD, Minister of State with special responsibility for the Office of Public Works (OPW), was in Claregalway, Co. Galway today to launch the public exhibition stage of the Clare River Flood Relief Scheme.

Speaking in Claregalway this morning, Minister Hayes said: "Claregalway, in addition to many other parts of County Galway and indeed the entire Country, suffered devastating flooding in November 2009 and I am pleased to be here in Claregalway this morning to launch this very important exhibition on the proposed Flood Relief Scheme for the Clare River. I was here in July 2011 to open the new improved bridge with its additional flood eye and I will be opening the new bridge at Crusheeny later today, two elements of the Clare River Flood Relief Scheme works which were accelerated because of the recognised need to try and resolve the flooding in the area as quickly as possible.

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"The scheme that I am launching here today, which will cost approximately €7million to construct and will be on public view for four weeks, primarily comprises (in addition to the two bridges already completed) localised road raising at Montiagh North and Montiagh South, selective accelerated channel maintenance from Lough Corrib to Curraghmore Bridge, increasing the capacity of culverts at various locations on the channels, the provision of some additional local drains together with upgrading existing culverts/drains, the provision of two embankments and 100metres (approx.) of floodwall and complete channel widening works by way of a two-stage channel for a distance of 1.3 kilometres."

(CD/GK)