Tanaiste Micheal Martin has agreed to seek new legal advice on alleviating the flooding at Lough Funshinagh that’s according to local Independent councillor in Roscommon, Laurence Fallon

The Tanaiste visited the flooded communities surrounding the lake in Ballagh, Lisphelim and Curraghboy earlier this week, and stated that the Attorney General’s advice was that the flooding was not an emergency and as such “it would be difficult to take a quantity of water out of the lake before next winter”.

Speaking following the visit, Cllr. Fallon says he pointed out to him that things have changed dramatically in the last year causing this to be a new emergency. Firstly, there are houses under much greater threat of flooding than they were this time last year 

There are also septic tanks and slurry tanks that are now much more likely to be flooded in the next few months and into next winter, creating an environmental emergency.

The councillor argues that what may not have been an emergency when the High Court injunction was taken out two years ago is certainly an emergency now.

He told Midwest News that he is pleased that the Tanaiste agreed to raisehis points with the Attorney General, the Government’s legal advisor, and explore what impact they might have on the ability to lower the water level.

Cllr. Fallon is warning that without removing a certain quantity of water from the lake between now and Christmas the villages cannot be kept safe this year and is appealing to all involved to act now to save the villages of Ballagh, Curraghboy and Lisphelim.