An additional €500,000 is expected to be spent on the Bellurgan Embankment over the course of the next five years to improve flood defences in north Louth.
News of the planned expenditure was revealed recently in the Dáil by Minister of State at the Department of Public Expenditure and Reform Seán Canney, following a parliamentary question from Sinn Féin TD Pearse Doherty.
He revealed that €75,000 had been spent on improving flood defences last year with a further €500,000 allocated towards it between now and the end of 2021.
This year €45 million will be spent nationally by the Government on flood defences. This amount will increase to €70 million next year and gradually increase by €10 million per annum until 2021 when €100 million will be spent on flood defences.
Bellurgan is the only area of Co Louth currently earmarked for funding by the Office of Public Works.
The embankment at Bellurgan was breached in January 2014 when a large area was flooded and over preceding years there were a number of more series incidents when the sea defence was unable to hold back high tides in certain conditions.
Work began on reinforcing the embankment last year which was completed earlier this year.
