Flood risk to Kerry town expected to be reduced after OPW works

The government has said they intend to remove vegetation blocking the River Feale in a bid to reduce flooding risks in north Kerry's capital. The Minister of State at the Office of Public Works, Kevin Boxer Moran, said the OPW intends to commence removal of the tree and scrub vegetation on September 1. In November 2024, parts of Listowel saw some of the worst flooding in over 60 years as Storm Bert caused the River Feale to burst its banks. While emergency works on the banks of the River Feale have taken place, it has been years since any maintenance was carried out on the river itself. Shallow islands have formed with groups of fast-growing sally trees which may serve to block the river during high water levels. Following up on a motion from Senator Mike Kennelly, Minister Boxer Moran confirmed there is an intention to remove the vegetation as soon as 1 September. While he said the works would take up to two weeks, he advised that the 'significant infestation' of invasive plants, including Japanese knotweed and Himalayan balsam, make the procedure more complicated. He said the further removal of the gravel deposits will be dependent on not carrying out instream works during the winter due to the fish spawning environmental window and may need to take place next summer. Councillor Jimmy Moloney previously told The Kerryman that the vegetation had got 'really out of hand' in the last number of years. 'It needs maintenance badly,' he said. Funded by the Local Democracy Reporting Scheme