Dáil Éireann Debate, Wednesday - 23 September 2015
68. Deputy Tom Fleming asked the Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform if he will arrange for the Office of Public Works to investigate and carry out remedial works to a river (details supplied) in County Kerry to alleviate and eliminate the recent flood incidence which severely damaged business premises; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [32371/15]
View answerThe river concerned does not form part of any Arterial Drainage Scheme which would fall under the remit of the Office of Public Works (OPW) under the 1945 Arterial Drainage Act. The OPW therefore has no responsibility for the maintenance of the channel, nor any authority to carry out works there.
Tralee is one of 300 locations nationwide that is being assessed under the OPW's Catchment Flood Risk Assessment and Management (CFRAM) Programme the purpose of which is to implement the EU Floods Directive and national flood policy. The Programme involves the production of predictive flood risk and hazard mapping for each location, developing preliminary flood risk management options and producing flood risk management plans. Under the Shannon CFRAM Study, draft predictive flood maps for Tralee have been produced and were the subject of a Public Consultation Day in Tralee on 24 March 2015. Data on the recent flood incidence in Tralee will be considered by the Study's engineering consultants before the flood maps are finalised following a national public consultation scheduled to be held later in 2015. Preliminary flood risk management options are being developed for Tralee and will be the subject of a Public Consultation Day in Tralee on 1 October 2015. Further information is available on the Shannon CFRAM website www.shannoncframstudy.ie.
Local flooding issues are a matter, in the first instance, for each Local Authority to investigate and address, and Kerry County Council may carry out flood mitigation works using its own resources.
The Office of Public Works operates a Minor Flood Mitigation Works and Coastal Protection Scheme. This administrative Scheme's eligibility criteria, including a requirement that any measures are cost beneficial are published on the OPW website, www.opw.ie. It is not available for repair of damaged infrastructure or for maintenance of existing flood defence or coastal protection assets. It is open to the Council to submit a funding application under the Scheme. Any application received will be considered in accordance with the scheme eligibility criteria and having regard to the overall availability of resources for flood risk management.
OPW has recently approved funding of €44,936 to Kerry County Council under this scheme for flood works in Tralee.
