It emerged yesterday that work on the long-promised €35 million flood alleviation measures for Clonmel will not start until late next year.
As flood-water levels in the town dropped yesterday, the Mayor of Clonmel, Cllr Denis Dunne, said people were praying there won't be any repeat of the heavy rains which caused massive flooding this week.
Cllr Dunne said that following discussions with the Minister of State at the Department of Finance, Mr Tom Parlon, who has responsibility for the Office of Public Works , it now appears that plans for the new flood relief scheme won't go on display until January 2005, with work unlikely to start before October.
"Water levels in the Suir have dropped dramatically today - they're down over four feet on Friday's flood, but people are just hoping that we won't see similar rain this winter because the OPW are telling us now that it will be this time next year before any work on the new scheme will start," he said.
Cllr Dunne said that most people evacuated from their houses on Friday were able to return home over the weekend to start a major clean-up operation, while Clonmel Borough Council staff spent much of yesterday removing flood debris from the quays and other affected areas of the town.
