Responsibility for alleviating flooding in Ballisodare Bay lies not with Sligo County Council but with local landowners, a meeting of the council has been told.
The 330 acres of land effected, known as the Tanrigo entake, was reclaimed from the sea in the 1800s.
The reclaimed land is below sea level.
At a meeting of Sligo County Council, Independent Councillor Michael Clarke called for the preparation of a report on flooding at the Tanrigo entake, near Beltra.
He also wanted information on the provision of a new flood gate and drainage in the area.
Senior executive Engineer Paddy Hughes said substantial revetments — sloping structures placed on banks — with stone protection over twelve feet high extend for a total of one-and-a-half kilometres in three sections along the bay.
He explained that included in these revetments are sluices to allow stream water to escape at low tide.
Mr Hughes told the council meeting that Sligo County Council does not own the structure as far as it is aware.
The council, therefore, did not have a responsibility to maintain it.
Mr Hughes said repairing it would imply responsibility and liability for what is a massive structure that has defects.
He added that the maintenance of the structure falls on private landowners benefitting from the structure.
The council now intends to highlight the flooding problem in the area under the Catchment Flood Risk Assessment and Management consultation process now taking place.
