Fears South Galway school will be ‘washed away’
A local councillor has warned that the €1 million Kiltiernan National School in South Galway will be washed away next winter unless urgent flood works are carried out.
Councillor Michael Fahy brought a special motion before this week’s meeting of the local authority asking the Office of Public Works to immediately approve the Kiltiernan-Ballinderreen flood relief scheme, before work begins on the new Gort-Tuam motorway.
Otherwise, he fears the flooding will be pushed towards the local school.
However, he was told the motion would effectively be worthless if forwarded to the OPW.
Director of Services for Roads, Liam Gavin, said the Council has been liaising with the OPW, and made a submission last year. However, this was rejected on the basis of cost benefit, and the Council was asked to revise its application.
The OPW had since come back and said they are unhappy with the revised plan.
“This is beyond the scope of politics. It is nature that will make the result here. Flooding will be pushed down to the school by the new road.
“I’m begging Liam Gavin and Kevin Kelly [the Council’s Chief Executive] ... something has to be done here for the sake of the local community. This is one of the finest national schools in Galway and cost €1m. It will be washed away next winter if nothing is done,” said Cllr Fahy.
Mr Gavin said he did not believe the authority should get into “exaggeration”, and he did not believe there was a need to submit the motion.
“We need to engage with the OPW and that’s the way to deal with it. A notice of motion won’t matter whatsoever with the OPW. We will continue to engage in meaningful discussion with the OPW,” said Mr Gavin.