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Lord Mayor confident Ballincollig weir will be prioritised for repairs

Wednesday, 23 June 2021 09:52

The Lord Mayor of the City says the Office of Public Works are looking into whether they can incorporate repairs to the weir in Ballincollig into the Lower Lee Flood Relief scheme. 

Cllr Colm Kelleher met with Minister of State Patrick O'Donovan yesterday at Ballincollig Regional Park to discuss progress on the project. 

The weir collapsed in 2014 and their have been calls to repair it since then - due to the dangers posed by the currents following the collapse. 

38 year old Bernard Geasely from Ballincollig died at the weir in August 2020 when he entered the water to save his younger brother, leading his family to campaign for the weir to be repaired.  

Speaking to RedFM News, Lord Mayor of the City Cllr Colm Kelleher says he's confident the weir will be prioritised for repairs.

"I spoke with the Minister, it was a very positive engagement with him.

"They're looking at the possibility of incorporating it in with the Lower Lee Flood Relief Scheme, so it will have to be part of a larger scheme.

"But to use the words of the Minister, they're in it for the long haul.

"With the Department onside and the OPW onside and with the City Council onside - it won't be a quick fix, but I'm sure that in the fullness of time we can get a result and get it fixed."

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