Gardai at the latest flooding at Letterkenny General Hospital in August.
An investigation into a second flood at Letterkenny General Hospital has resulted in the digging of a huge trench as well as a pumping vehicle stationed at the hospital
An overall report into the flooding at Letterkenny General Hospital on August 5th last has been presented to the hospital’s Rebuilding steering Committee Group.
This was set up after an original flood on July 26, 2013 saw almost €40M worth of damage caused to the hospital.
A special investigation set up to look at the latest flood, which resulted in the hospital’s emergency department being forced to shut for three hours, has now come up with its findings.
It is suggesting that the rainfall in August last was even more intense than last year’s fall which affected 70% of the hospital’s footprint.
A spokesman for the HSE said the latest flood caused minimal damage to the fabric of the hospital and there was no damage to equipment.
A statement also said that the overall clean-up and drainage of floodwater cost between €300,000 and €400,000.
The special investigation team will consider the following terms of reference –
• To establish the sequence of events that resulted in the flooding on the evening of the 5th of August.
• To determine if the Flood Management Strategy was implemented in full on the 5th of August.
• To review and amend (if necessary) the Flood Management Strategy in light of the events of the 5th of August.
• To review the current and proposed (under construction) flood defence measures and to recommend additional works if deemed necessary.
• To carry out a Flood Risk Analysis and to recommend actions to mitigate the risks identified.
• To research and report on the planning and development history of the hospital campus particularly in relation to the siting of the various new hospital departments.
The statement form the HSE continues “The investigation team identified as a matter of urgency what immediate remedial action needed to be taken to prevent a recurrence of the flooding problem.
“Protective measures that have been already put in place in response to the most recent incident include the creation of a drainage trench to intercept surface water run off from outside the hospital’s boundaries and the stationing of a vehicle with pumping facilities in the car park (at no charge to the hospital) whilst a suitable flood pump was procured: this pump procurement has now happened.
“The Flood Risk Analysis will involve surveys of all storm water systems within and adjacent to the hospital campus.”
The investigation team has been in contact with Donegal County Council, Errigal College, Department of Education and the Office of Public Works (OPW).
The Letterkenny Hospital Rebuild Steering Group now expects to be in a position to publish the final results of the investigation at end October and the full report and all related documentation will be available to the public.
Site works have commenced for the construction of a new storm flow routing pipe and associated works at Letterkenny General Hospital and are scheduled for completion shortly. The flood management works, including the new culvert, are estimated to cost approximately €1m.
The membership of the Investigation Team consists of;
Mr. John Browner, Assistant National Director Estates (Chair)
Mr. Mike Bermingham, Estates Manager (North West)
Mr. Michael Martin, Project Manager, Estates
Mr. Sean Murphy, General Manager, Letterkenny General Hospital
Ms, Sharon Moohan, Non-Executive Board Member, West/North West Hospitals Group
Mr. Tony Canavan, Chief Operating Officer, West/North West Hospitals Group
Mr. Peter Byrne*, Facilities Manager, Letterkenny General Hospital
(*PB Co-opted on to the Group as Seán Murphy on leave for a period).
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