Mallow has been selected as one of five locations across Ireland to receive new emergency flood response equipment, including pumps and mobile water-filled flood barriers known as aqua-dams.
The equipment is being provided through the Office of Public Works (OPW) and will supplement existing emergency equipment stocks held by local authorities.
The other four locations selected are Sligo, Galway City, Cavan and Portlaoise.
The announcement was made by Kevin ‘Boxer’ Moran TD, Minister of State with responsibility for the OPW.
According to the OPW, the equipment will be managed by local authorities and made available for deployment nationally when required.
The new equipment is intended to give local authorities greater flexibility when responding to flooding, allowing pumps and barriers to be moved to areas where they are most urgently needed.
The Government began the process following Storm Chandra earlier this year, which affected parts of the East and South East.
The OPW subsequently worked with the County and City Management Association (CCMA) and the market to determine the equipment required.
A tender competition for the pumps and mobile flood barriers was published over the summer, with tender evaluations now being finalised.
The OPW expects the frameworks needed to draw down the equipment to be in place and available to local authorities by November 2026.
For Mallow, the designation means the town will become one of five strategic locations supporting the national response to flooding.
The equipment will remain under the management of local authorities, with the intention that it can be deployed where needed during flood events.
The move adds to the emergency response resources available locally and is particularly relevant for communities in areas where flooding remains an ongoing concern.
