I propose to take Questions Nos. 213 and 214 together.
Following heavy and persistent rain in December and January last, flooding occurred at a number of locations in South Mayo. The main areas affected were Clyard and Thomastown, Kilmaine, the Neale and Hollymount.
The Office of Public Works is currently working with Mayo County Council and other relevant bodies to devise solutions to the flood risk in these areas.
With regard to Kilmaine, it was agreed, following contact between the OPW, Mayo County Council, the National Parks and Wildlife Service and the Western Regional Fisheries Board, that overflow channels from Clyard and Thomastown turloughs would be run into a scheduled OPW channel of the Corrib-Headford Drainage Scheme to reduce flood risk. The Clyard link has been excavated by OPW maintenance staff and it is expected that the Thomastown work will be completed by the end of October, 2007.
In the case of the Neale, no solution to the flooding problem has been identified to date. All surface water drainage in the area affected is by way of underground channels and there are no rivers or streams near enough to divert flood waters to. The OPW has commissioned a topographical aerial survey of the area to provide information towards a possible solution and this will be carried out as soon as weather conditions permit. Mayo County Council have engaged an expert hydrogeologist to advise on underground flows and to possibly identify linkages between the various turloughs in the Neale area. It is not possible to know at this stage when a viable solution will be found.
I understand that a number of houses in the Hollymount area, including the property of the family referred to, were at risk due to the flooding, and roads were also flooded at a number of locations. While this Office has identified a possible route to divert waters into a scheme channel, further survey works are required to determine the feasibility and cost effectiveness of such a solution. This Office is actively engaged with Mayo County Council in gathering information and data. Any resultant proposal will have to be referred to both the National Parks and Wildlife Service and the Western Regional Fisheries Board for consideration from an environmental perspective.
In addition to the specific actions above, it is understood that Mayo County Council are pursuing the possibility of undertaking road-raising works at various locations throughout Mayo.