Flood Prevention Measures

Tuesday, 25 February 2014

Questions (346)

Gerry Adams

Question:

346. Deputy Gerry Adams asked the Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform if he will provide a breakdown of money spent on major and minor flood defence work in tabular form for the past three years in County Louth and Meath East; the location of this work; his plans for future works in this area; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [9230/14]

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Written answers

Minister of State at the Department of Public Expenditure and Reform

A list of all expenditure from both Major Flood Relief Schemes and Minor Works funding in Counties Louth and Meath is set out below.

County	Project	2011	2012	2013
-	Mornington Flood Relief Scheme (Major)	€1,135,543	€482,347	€52,998
-	River Tolka Flood Relief Scheme (Major)	-	-	€5,109
-	Swan River (Minor Works)	€38,730	-	€144,255
Meath	Northlands Estate (Minor Works)	-	-	€18,255
-	Ardee Road, Dundalk	€39,725	-
-	Blackwater River, Dundalk	-	-	€71,820
Louth	Bellurgan Embankment	€27,000	-	-

A full list of all approved applications for the Minor Works Scheme since 2009 is available on OPW's website, www.opw.ie.

Two major Flood Relief Schemes have been carried out in County Meath in the last ten years on the River Tolka and on the Mornington River. Approximately €7 million was spent by the OPW on the River Tolka Scheme in County Meath which was part of an overall Scheme on the Tolka from Clonee to Fairview in Dublin City, and approximately €4 million was spent on the Mornington Scheme.

Louth County Council has submitted a study of the Bellurgan Embankment, Co Louth to the OPW. This is currently being assessed.

There are no further major scheme works currently being planned for Louth and Meath. The Catchment Flood Risk Assessment and Management (CFRAM) programme is examining areas of significant flood risk in the main river catchments nationally including in the Eastern region. Under the CFRAM Programme flood maps for these significant risk areas will be completed by the end of 2014 and Flood Risk Management Plans will be produced by 2016. The studies will consider the best possible options, both structural and non-structural, for dealing with the risks on a long term basis and, when completed, will form the basis for decision making on capital investment by the Government on long term flood mitigation infrastructure into the future.

It is open to Louth and Meath County Councils to submit applications in the future to the OPW for funding of minor works under the Minor Works scheme.