Vol. 558 No. 3
96 Mr. Timmins asked the Minister for Finance the amount of funding required to carry out remedial flood works in Arklow, County Wicklow; when this funding will be made available; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [24138/02]
Responsibility for flood alleviation is a matter for the local authority in the first instance. However, the Office of Public Works agreed to provide funding to the town council for a feasibility report on flooding in Arklow. That report was completed earlier this year and was presented to the town council.
The report contains a number of short-term recommendations for alleviating flooding in the town and also recommends implementation of a flood relief scheme. The capital cost of the recommended flood relief scheme has been estimated by the consultants to be in the region of €3.33 million. However, this estimate is based on preliminary investigations only and does not include site investigations, environmental studies, cost-benefit analyses, outline and detailed designs, etc.
Funding available to the Office of Public Works for the implementation of flood relief schemes is committed to other schemes and I am not in a position to say when funding might be available for a scheme at Arklow. Regarding the short-term measures recommended in the feasibility report, the Office of Public Works has advised the town council that implementation and funding of these is a matter for the town council and/or the county council.
