I propose to take Questions Nos. 140 and 141 together.
The Office of Public Works does not provide or operate a scheme of financial assistance for the purchase and installation of individual property protection against flooding. Discussions on such arrangements have not taken place with the Department of Finance in regard to tax reliefs or with other Departments. The provision of tax relief for homeowners for the purchase and installation of flood barriers and other protection devices is a matter for the Minister for Finance in the first instance.
A central focus of the Government's strategy to address flood risk is the implementation of a significant capital investment programme to build major flood relief schemes in the main areas at risk of flooding. A total of €225m has been allocated to the OPW over the period 2012 – 2016 and significant schemes are underway and at planning/design stage which will protect and benefit a substantial number of properties. OPW's capital allocation of €45m per annum is fully committed to expenditure on the delivery of these major flood relief schemes as well as to expenditure on the operation of its Minor Works Scheme which provides funding to local authorities to allow them undertake smaller scale works to deal with localised flooding problems. A significant part of the annual budget is allocated also to the implementation of the national Catchment Flood Risk Assessment and Management (CFRAM) Programme.
In assessing flood risk at any particular location, the installation of individual property protection may have a role to play in certain instances and this would be factored into the consideration of options to address flood risk at that particular location.
