Mr Parlon - who has responsibility for the Office of Public Works - said a fully planned scheme was now in place and could get underway in 2005.

Mr Parlon said the delay in starting the original scheme was caused by concerns from the local authorities in Clonmel that dredging the river bed would lead to pollution, as happened in Kilkenny. The latest scheme will give protection against one in a 100-year flood and will involve no dredging of the river, but will use demountable barriers to stop the River Suir from overflowing its banks.