THE COST of essential repair work and preventative measures to cease coastal erosion and flooding throughout the New Ross area will be in the region of €2,455,000

That was the figure relayed to The Echo by New Ross Town Manager, Eamonn Hore, when questioned about the matter this week.

Having presented a costings estimate to Minister Phil Hogan when he visited New Ross on Saturday to view the damage caused by last week’s extensive flooding Mr. Hore outlined the nature of the costs to this newspaper.

One of the key components of the necessary work will be the installation of a flood relief wall in the Marshmeadows area of the town which will cost €400,000 to complete.

Mr. Hore said work constructing two riverside clay embankments and ancillary floor relief works in the same area will cost a further €250,000.

It’s also proposed that the level of the road in the Coolbrock area of Wellingtonbridge will cost €250,000 while the construction of rock armour revetment along the coast road at Barrystown, Wellingtonbridge, will cost a further €400,000.

Similar work will have to be carried out in Duncannon where the foreshore is now only a little over a metre away from the road at one point. That work will cost €300,000 to complete.

Mr. Hore said costings presented to the Government also include provision for a 50 metre long flood wall to prevent further flooding in Bridge Street, New Ross, which will cost €120,000.

Masonary work on the wall between Arthurstown and Ballyhack will cost €400,000 to complete.

On Saturday Mr. Hore took the opportunity to present Min. Hogan with a detailed report of the work needed to be done to prevent further incidents of flooding as witnessed in the town last week.

Duncannon village had suffered severe coastal erosion over the last six weeks alone and residents there, along with business owners in the Marshmeadows area of New Ross, have said that something needs to be done immediately.

(For more stories on the flooding in New Ross see this week’s print edition of The Echo)