Cllr Mike Bray in the Butterfield area

Funding approval for flood alleviation measures in Athboy

There is huge relief for residents of the Butterfield, Cloran Road and Church Street areas of Athboy this week with the news that funding has been approved for flood alleviation measures.

Residents in this area have had their homes and gardens flooded cars destroyed during heavy rain.

Funding through the Climate Change Adaptation and Resilience Scheme has now been approved by the Department of Transport for flood alleviation measures.

Butterfield resident, Orla Ennis, whose house was flooded and car destroyed said the works will give her peace of mind.

"We never could go anywhere when it was raining, there was always the worry of flooding, and we'd have to be out with the sandbags."

She recalls her hall being flooded and her wooden floor destroyed several years back when the floodwater came in.

"We were out once when it rained and we had out other car in the car park at home. It was destroyed. When we see the car park flooding, we know we are in trouble and we have to get the sandbags.

"The garden is regularly flooded and we worry about the shed and our turf."

"We were up one morning at 3am worrying about the water coming in."

"It is not just us. Our neighbours are affected too. We all have to get our cars out of the car park as soon as it starts or they will be flooded."

Cllr Mike Bray welcomed the funding. “A number of families in Butterfield View have been flooded over the past number of years which has damaged their houses and their personal belongings. It has also caused the families impacted untold stress and worry.

“The local council crew have been great in assisting the residents when water comes into their homes however it was clear more needed to be done.

“A survey was carried out by the council to the existing drain pipe network in the vicinity of the area that floods, and it was found that a major new drainage system needed to be put in place to prevent further flooding.

“I requested the council provide funding to have the necessary works carried out and a successful application was made to the Climate Change Adaptation and Resilience Scheme.