The flood mitigation works at Woodlawn, Ballinasloe referred to in the Question were carried out by Galway County Council (GCC) with the aid of funding of €13,500 provided by the Office of Public Works ( OPW), representing 90% of the estimated cost of the works of €15,000.
The funding was provided to GCC on foot of an application it made under the OPW Minor Flood Mitigation Works and Coastal Protection Scheme for works to alleviate local flooding of a public road and one dwelling. The application was approved on the basis that it met the criteria for the minor works scheme and was cost beneficial. The purpose of this administrative Scheme is to provide funding to local authorities to enable them to carry out small scale works to address localised flooding problems in their areas. Funding of up to 90% of the estimated cost of the works is available subject to specific eligibility criteria including a requirement that any measures are cost beneficial. The scheme's criteria are published on the OPW website, www.opw.ie. The scheme is not available for repair of damaged infrastructure or for maintenance of existing flood defence or coastal protection assets. A local authority may apply to the OPW for support under the scheme having regard to those eligibility criteria. Application forms are available on the OPW's website under Flood Risk Management and decisions are made having regard to the overall availability of funding for flood risk management. The identification of the appropriate mitigation measures in each case and the implementation of those measures is entirely a matter for the local authorities.
Payment of the OPW funding is conditional on a Director of Services in the local authority certifying that specific conditions have been complied with, including that the works for which the funding was provided have been completed. While the OPW carries out random audits of works undertaken by local authorities for which a certificate of completion has been submitted it did not do so in the case of the works at Woodlawn.
Arising from concerns expressed by the property owner referred to by the Deputy, the OPW understands that the works carried out by GCC at Woodlawn were less extensive than those proposed in its application for funding.
Further to the property owner's concerns, GCC commissioned independent experts to carry out an assessment of the flood mitigation works that had been completed and the need for further works. The experts report concluded that the completed works had substantially reduced the risk of flooding to the property. The report also concluded that while additional works could be carried out that would further improve flood protection for the property, these would involve underpinning Woodlawn Bridge and these works would not be cost beneficial. It also pointed out that there would be significant constraints on the carrying out of works to the bridge due to the environmental sensitivity of the channel at that location.
The OPW is satisfied, based on the conclusions of the independent, expert report that the works carried out by GCC have significantly reduced the risk of flooding to the property in question and have achieved value for money. The OPW concurs with the findings of the independent report that any additional works to further improve flood protection for this property would not be cost beneficial.
GCC has indicated that it does not intend to undertake any further works at this location.
