Dáil Éireann Debate, Wednesday - 22 January 2014
30. Deputy Denis Naughten asked the Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform the steps he is taking to implement the recommendations in the joint committee on the environment report on Shannon flooding published in 2012; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [2578/14]
View answerAs outlined to the Deputy in the reply to Parliamentary Questions 1595 and 1598 of 15 January, 2014, the Joint Committee on the Environment, Culture and the Gaeltacht report on Shannon flooding dealt with and included recommendations on a number of issues across a range of Government Departments and State Bodies. The Office of Public Works (OPW) responded to the Committee by way of a written reply in September 2012, in relation to the specific matters within the OPW's area of responsibility. The main area addressed in the reply related to the Catchment Flood Risk Assessment and Management (CFRAM) programme and how the OPW is addressing flood risk on the River Shannon in the context of the CFRAM Programme.
The Deputy will be aware that Jacobs Engineering are the consultants on the Shannon CFRAM study. The Committee Report was forwarded to Jacobs for consideration in the context of the Shannon CFRAM Study. In this regard, he will also recall the Shannon Levels Operations Report, produced by Jacobs in 2012 and on which the Committee received a briefing in late 2012. The OPW, with the cooperation of both the ESB and Waterways Ireland, has facilitated the carrying out of a water level monitoring exercise, as part of the CFRAM process, which will allow for analysis of water flows and levels at key points around the Lough Ree and Callows areas. The hydrometric data collated from the water flow/level exercise has been provided to the CFRAM consultants for its consideration within the CFRAM project. Any conclusions to be drawn from the exercise will form part of the CFRAM study. This data will be published shortly on the CFRAM website, www.shannoncframstudy.ie.
