Written Answers Nos. 130-139
130. Deputy Brendan Smith asked the Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform his proposals to allocate funding to Cavan County Council for 2016 to carry out essential drainage work; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [1705/16]
View answer131. Deputy Brendan Smith asked the Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform his proposals to allocate funding to Monaghan County Council for 2016 to carry out essential drainage work; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [1706/16]
View answerI propose to take Questions Nos. 130 and 131 together.
It is a matter for Cavan and Monaghan County Councils in the first instance to identify and address minor or localised flooding issues in their counties. It is open to the Councils to undertake any local flood mitigation works using their own resources or to submit an application for funding if necessary under the Office of Public Works (OPW) Minor Flood Mitigation Works & Coastal Protection Scheme. Any application received will be assessed under the scheme's eligibility criteria which includes a requirement that any measures are cost beneficial, and having regard to the overall availability of funding. The OPW only funds works related to fluvial or river flooding. Any necessary works to address flooding caused by pluvial or inadequate surface water drainage systems are the responsibility of the local authority. The local authority is responsible also for the ongoing maintenance of certain watercourses within Drainage Districts in the county.
The OPW carries out its own programme of Arterial Drainage Maintenance to a total of 11,500km of river channel and approximately 730km of embankments nationally. These maintenance works relate to arterial drainage schemes completed by the OPW under the Arterial Drainage Acts 1945 and 1995, whose purpose was primarily to improve the drainage of agricultural lands. The OPW has a statutory duty to maintain the completed schemes in proper repair and in an effective condition. The annual maintenance programme typically involves some clearance of vegetation and removal of silt build-up on an average five-yearly cycle.
The planned OPW maintenance programme in Co. Cavan in 2016 includes work on some 18km on the Inny scheme, approximately 7km on the Boyne scheme and 3km Glyde and Dee scheme.
The planned OPW maintenance programme in Co. Monaghan in 2016 includes work on approximately 65km of the Monaghan Blackwater Arterial Drainage Scheme and some 35km of the Glyde and Dee scheme.
132. Deputy Brendan Smith asked the Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform his proposals to carry out major drainage work on the River Erne system in County Cavan, due to the ongoing problems with flooding in that catchment area; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [1707/16]
View answer133. Deputy Brendan Smith asked the Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform his proposals to carry out drainage work on the Dromore River system in County Monaghan, due to ongoing problems with flooding in that catchment area; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [1708/16]
View answer134. Deputy Brendan Smith asked the Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform the outcome of discussions he has had with the authorities in Northern Ireland regarding flooding problems caused by the River Erne in County Fermanagh and in County Cavan, including the need to carry out the appropriate drainage and remedial works to alleviate the serious flooding problems that are caused, in part, by the restrictions to water flow through the River Erne at the channel between the Upper and Lower Lough Erne, and at the channel between the Lower Lough Erne and the Cliff dam near Belleek in County Fermanagh; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [1711/16]
View answerI propose to take Questions Nos. 132 to 134, inclusive, together.
The Office of Public Works (OPW) does not have Arterial Drainage Schemes on either the River Erne system or River Dromore and is not responsible for channel maintenance in either area in accordance with its statutory requirements under the Arterial Drainage Act, 1945.
Local flooding issues are, in the first instance, a matter for each local authority to investigate and address, and they may carry out flood alleviation works from their own resources or apply to the OPW for funding under the Minor Flood Mitigation Works and Coastal Protection Scheme. Funding for this scheme has regard to the overall availability of resources for flood risk management. Further details on this scheme including eligibility criteria are available on the OPW website, www.opw.ie.
The core strategy for addressing areas at potentially significant risk from flooding, is the OPW's Catchment Flood Risk Assessment and Management (CFRAM) Programme. Some 300 locations nationwide are being assessed under the Programme the purpose of which is to implement the EU Floods Directive and national flood policy.
The Programme, which is being undertaken by engineering consultants on behalf of the OPW working in partnership with the local authorities, involves the production of predictive flood mapping for each location, the development of preliminary flood risk management options and the production of flood risk management plans.
In relation to the River Erne system, Cavan Town is an Area for Further Assessment (AFA) being assessed as part of the North Western/Neagh Bann CFRAM Study. No other areas of the River Erne system were designated as being a potentially significant risk. Those parts of Erne system which affect Cavan Town have been modelled and mapped and are being assessed for preliminary options to address assessed flood risk. Drainage works are part of the suite of measures that are being assessed. A Public Consultation Day was held in Cavan Town on the draft flood mapping on 19th February, 2015 and a further event will be held locally in the coming months on the preliminary options. Discussions are ongoing with the Rivers Agency of Northern Ireland in relation to any flood risk issues within the Erne system in Co Fermanagh and catchment wide preliminary options will be available at the upcoming public consultation for discussion.
In relation to the Dromore River system, Ballybay is an Area for Further Assessment (AFA) being assessed as part of the same CFRAM Study. Those parts of the Dromore system which affect Ballybay have been modelled and mapped and are being assessed for preliminary options to address flood risk. Drainage works are part of the suite of measures that are being assessed. A Public Consultation Day was held in Ballybay on the draft flood mapping on 18th February, 2015 and a further event will be held locally in the coming months on the preliminary options.
Under the CFRAM Programme, the draft mapping is now being finalised following completion of the national statutory public consultation on 23rd December, 2015. Following finalisation of the mapping and the identification of preliminary flood risk management options, the final output from this important project will be integrated Flood Risk Management Plans containing specific feasible measures to address significant flood risks identified. The Plans are scheduled for publication in mid 2016 for public consultation towards final plans being completed by the end of 2016.
Further information is available on the study website: www.northwestcframstudy.ie
135. Deputy Peadar Tóibín asked the Minister for Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation the number of new jobs and the total number of jobs supported by the Industrial Development Agency Ireland and Enterprise Ireland, by county, for the past five years. [1666/16]
View answerEmployment data for the Department of Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation Employment Survey is collected and reported annually. Last week, IDA Ireland announced the highest level of employment in its clients in its 67 year history, with 187,056 people now employed in companies supported by the agency.
In 2015, IDA client companies created 18,983 new jobs across a range of sectors, with every region of Ireland posting net employment gains. The total annual net job gain amounted to 11,833, which compares favourably to the figure of 7,131 for the preceding year – a year-on-year rise of 66%.
Enterprise Ireland has also reported a record high with total employment in Enterprise Ireland client companies now standing at 192,223, with the creation of 21,118 new jobs in 2015. This represents a net increase of 10,169.
For the period from 2011 to 2015, IDA client companies created 34,098 net new jobs while Enterprise Ireland created 25,589 net new jobs for the same period.
The breakdown of the 2015 figures by county for both IDA Ireland and Enterprise Ireland are currently being finalised. I will forward both to the Deputy as soon as possible.
136. Deputy Gabrielle McFadden asked the Minister for Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation how many Industrial Development Agency Ireland jobs in counties Westmeath and Longford were created in each of the years 2011 to 2015; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [1712/16]
View answerEmployment data for the Department of Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation employment survey is collected and reported on an annual basis. Last week, IDA Ireland announced the highest level of employment in its client companies in its 67 year history, with 187,056 people now employed in companies supported by the agency.
In 2015, IDA client companies created 18,983 new jobs across a range of sectors, with every region of Ireland posting net employment gains. The total annual net job gain amounted to 11,833, which compares favourably to the figure of 7,131 for the preceding year – a year-on-year rise of 66%.
The breakdown of the 2015 employment figures by county for IDA Ireland is currently being finalised and I will forward it to the Deputy as soon as possible.
IDA promotes Westmeath and Longford as part of the Midlands Region, which also includes Laois and Offaly. The region is marketed as having a strong cluster in medical technology and life sciences, given it is home to many such clients, including Covidien in Athlone.
A digital marketing campaign is already in place to market the Midlands Region to potential investors. This is also utilised overseas by IDA executives to showcase potential locations within the Midlands Region, including Westmeath.
The Action Plan for Jobs: Midland Region was launched in June 2015. This plan sets out over 120 actions aimed to deliver enhanced employment growth in the region over the coming years with a target of increasing employment in the region by 10-15% by 2020. The overall ambition of the Plan is to increase employment by approximately 14,000 by 2020.
137. Deputy Jack Wall asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine the status of a payment to a person (details supplied) in County Kildare including the amount due; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [1581/16]
View answerAn application under the 2015 Basic Payment Scheme was received from the person named on 22 April 2015. Payment has issued directly to the nominated bank account of the person named.
138. Deputy Brendan Griffin asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine if owners of lands flooded in recent storms will have access to moneys they paid into a trust fund (details supplied) to repair the damage caused; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [1593/16]
View answerThere is provision in the Trust to pay capital money to carry out necessary work in the case of a sudden or unusual event. It does not envisage paying all the Trust money and a penalty will apply where funds invested in Bonds are redeemed in advance of their maturity date.
139. Deputy Denis Naughten asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine when payment will issue to a person (details supplied); the reason for the delay; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [1598/16]
View answerAn application under the 2015 Basic Payment/Areas of Natural Constraints Schemes was received from the person named on 30 April 2015. Processing of the application under both schemes is complete and payments have issued to the nominated bank account of the person named.
