Dáil Éireann Debate, Wednesday - 16 September 2009
287 Deputy Denis Naughten asked the Minister for Finance the steps he is taking to address the summer flooding in the Shannon callows; the action he will take to deal with the hardship experienced by farmers in the callows in 2009 as a result of the loss of all fodder crops in the past three years; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [31341/09]
View answerAs the Deputy is aware, the Office of Public Works (OPW) carried out some clearance of vegetation in the Callows area to mitigate summer flooding, which has been a particular problem recently, given the wetness of the last two summers. The OPW also undertook to investigate the feasibility of carrying out limited silt removal in the "New Cut" area to establish the impact this would have on water levels. Due to the environmental sensitivity of the area, it has not been possible to date to devise a scheme that would be both acceptable to the National Parks and Wildlife Service (NPWS), and justifiable on cost-benefit grounds.
Arising from recent representations from the IFA, requesting further works to improve channel conveyance capacity, OPW officials met with the NPWS in early September. The OPW is currently seeking to identify works that might be environmentally acceptable, with a view to reverting to the NPWS in the near future. The OPW has also written to Waterways Ireland in relation to the concerns expressed by landowners in the area regarding maintenance of channels and management of water levels. I have personally visited the area on two occasions in the past twelve months in the company of the President of the IFA, Pádraig Walsh, and local residents and farmers, to see the situation for myself and to talk through the issues.
