A €1.2 million project to address street flooding in the County Cork town of Dunmanway is set to move forward following a key appointment.

West Cork contractor Pat O'Driscoll Plant Hire and Civil Engineering Ltd has struck a deal with Cork County Council to deliver the works. The scheme will alleviate street flooding on the R586 Chapel Street during prolonged periods of heavy rainfall and will take approximately seven months to complete.

The works, set to being in the coming weeks, will include the installation of 910m of new dedicated surface water sewers, the upgrading and upsizing of 400m of the existing Irish Water combined sewer, complete replacement of the existing Irish Water watermain, the installation of traffic calming measures and new footpaths. The road will also be fully re-surfaced on completion of the works.

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Welcoming the appointment, Mayor of the County of Cork, Cllr Gillian Coughlan said: "Regrettably the impact of flooding has been experienced all too frequently by residents and business in Dunmanway. These works will safeguard the Chapel Street area from future flood events, providing reassurance to those who live and work there. I am pleased to see that safety improvements will also feature prominently in the programme, ensuring a safer experience for pedestrians and road users alike."

Chief Executive of Cork County Council, Tim Lucey added: "Chapel Street, Dunmanway has historically been subject to street flooding during times of prolonged heavy rainfall. Following the most recent flood event in 2020, Cork County Council appointed TJ O'Connor Consulting Engineers to design a new surface water system for the street. The Council has also engaged with Irish Water who identified sections of its own network on the street which were required to be upsized to increase flow capacity. Utilising this collaborative approach, the works have been successfully combined into a single contract, capitalising on the associated cost and time efficiencies, while minimising disruption for residents, businesses and commuters."

The project is funded through the Department of Transport's Climate Adaptation and Resilience Programme, National Transport Authority's Active Travel Programme and Restoration Improvement Programme, along with Cork County Council and Irish Water.