Funding has been sought to purchase a pump in a Laois town that has been badly hit by flooding in the past.
Mountmellick was left devastated by floods in 2017 and there have been a couple of incidents in the years since where further damage has been done.
Fianna Fail Cllr Paddy Bracken has called on Laois County Council to purchase a heavy duty pump ‘similar to the one that was hired during the most recent flooding in Mountmellick’.
Cllr Bracken says this pump could be used in any part of the Borris-In-Ossory-Mountmellick area that suffers flooding and it could also be of benefit when bridge maintenance work is being undertaken.
He said that the cost of one of these pumps is around €15,000 while the current cost of renting one is about €500 per week.
He said: “Having one of these saved the day the last time we had high river levels in Mountmellick.
“It would be very important for our whole area if we have one should flooding strike again.”
Council engineer Edmond Kenny said that Laois County Council would seek funding.
He said: “We will seek funding from the Office of Public Works to assist with the purchase of a duty and standby pump to be depolyed during flood events within the Municipal District.”
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