Dáil Éireann Debate, Tuesday - 9 December 2014
188. Deputy Charlie McConalogue asked the Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform if his attention has been drawn to funding that could assist an organisation (details supplied) in County Donegal to address flood damage dating from August 2014; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [46782/14]
View answerThe cost of repairs to flood damaged properties would normally be covered by insurance taken out by individual property owners. There is no funding available from the Office of Public Works for this purpose. As regards the flooding in Ramelton it is a matter for Donegal County Council, in the first instance, to investigate and address flooding issues in the County.
Ramelton was identified through the national Preliminary Flood Risk Assessment in 2011 as an area where the flood risk was potentially significant. It is therefore designated as an Area for Further Assessment (AFA) under the North Western/ Neagh Bann Catchment Flood Risk Assessment and Management (CFRAM) Study. OPW is currently undertaking this study in partnership with the relevant local authorities including Donegal County Council. An engineering consultancy company has been commissioned to carry out the study on behalf of the OPW.
Following the significant flood event in August, the engineering consultants were on site in Ramelton and collected data on flood extents, levels and cause of the flooding. The flooding in Pound Street resulted from intense rainfall over a short period of time. It exceeded the capacity of the drainage infrastructure and river channels in the area. The information collected will contribute to the analysis of flooding in the town under the CFRAM study and to ensuring that any future mitigating measures proposed are robust and effective. Public consultation on the draft flood maps for Ramelton will be held in early 2015 and this will be advertised locally. A Flood Risk Management Plan for the study area will be produced which will include an integrated and prioritised set of measures to address flood risk.
