Dáil Éireann debate -
Tuesday, 20 Feb 2001

Vol. 530 No. 6

Written Answers. - Flood Relief.

Seamus Healy

Question:

84 Mr. Healy asked the Minister for Finance if he will give details of the recently announced interdepartmental committee to set up a flood risk database for local authorities to avoid giving planning permission to developments on flood plains; its terms of reference; the way in which it will interact with existing planning legislation; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [3833/01]

Minister of State at the Department of Finance (Mr. Cullen)

The committee referred to by the Deputy in his question is the interdepartmental committee to monitor the effects of bad weather, which was set up in 1995 following the widespread flooding in the winter of 1994-95.

Following the severe flooding of 5 to 7 November 2000, I decided to reconvene this committee which met again in January this year with representatives of all the relevant Government Departments and agencies. Among the subjects discussed was that of flood risk mapping. I have decided that a programme of flood risk mapping would be initiated.

As a first step, a series of historic flood maps would be compiled, which would involve,inter alia, all local authorities being requested to collect detailed first hand information on current and past flood events in their administrative areas. This will make available to the local authorities, information on where flood events have happened to date and will be a most valuable help to them in making their decisions on planning and development matters. Once that is in place, developing the information further will be considered and at that stage the implications for planning legislation will be addressed.