Dáil Éireann Debate, Thursday - 9 October 2014
57. Deputy Arthur Spring asked the Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform his plans for flooding alleviation projects to be carried out in Ballylongford, County Kerry, in view of the flooding that has taken place over the past number of winters. [38648/14]
View answerIt is a matter for Kerry County Council, in the first instance, to investigate and address flooding issues in the County. The Office of Public Works (OPW) has no flood defence assets in Ballylongford and, therefore, has no direct responsibility for maintaining or improving existing flood defences. However, Ballylongford was identified through the national Preliminary Flood Risk Assessment as an area where the flood risk was potentially significant. It is therefore designated as an area for which detailed analysis is being carried out under the Shannon Catchment Flood Risk Assessment and Management (CFRAM) Study, which OPW is currently undertaking in partnership with the relevant local authorities including Kerry County Council. The engineering consultancy company Jacobs Engineering has been commissioned to carry out the work on behalf of the OPW.
The analysis under the CFRAM project will enable flood maps to be produced in 2014 and the identification of flood risk management options for this area in 2015. There will be public consultation on the draft flood maps within the next couple of months and this will be advertised locally.
Following the significant flood events earlier this year, Jacobs were on site at Ballylongford collecting data on flood extents, levels and flood mechanism etc. This information will contribute to calibrating any flood modelling being produced for the town and thus ensuring any future mitigating measures proposed are robust and effective.
On a recent visit to Ballylongford, I met with local residents, Councillors and County Council officials and had the opportunity to see the flood prone areas and hear of the problems at first hand. At that meeting Kerry County Council indicated that it would be making a submission shortly to the OPW for funding under the Minor Flood Mitigation Works and Coastal Protection Scheme to undertake some interim flood protection measures that could be carried out pending the completion of the CFRAM process. Any application received will be assessed under the eligibility criteria of the Scheme, including a requirement that any measures are cost beneficial, and having regard to the overall availability of funding. It is also open to local authorities to carry out flood mitigation and coastal protection works using their own resources.
