Dáil Éireann Debate, Wednesday - 27 April 2016
11. Deputy Michael Healy-Rae asked the Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform the status of flooding in a housing estate (details supplied) in County Kerry; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [8584/16]
View answerLocal flooding issues are in the first instance, matters for the relevant local authority to investigate and address. Local authorities are also responsible for maintaining flood alleviation works they undertake. 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. 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. It is also open to Kerry County Council to carry out flood mitigation works using its own resources.
The core strategy for addressing the significant flood risks nationally is the Office of Public Works' (OPW) Catchment Flood Risk Assessment and Management (CFRAM) Programme. Tralee is one of 66 AFAs (Areas for Further Assessment) in the Shannon River Basin District and 300 locations nationwide that 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.
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 24th March 2015. A further Public Consultation Day was held in Tralee on 1st October 2015 to present and discuss preliminary options to manage the significant flood risks.
The draft maps will be finalised in 2016 following the conclusion of the national statutory public consultation process on 23rd December, 2015. Following the finalisation of the flood 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 measures that can address in a comprehensive and sustainable way the significant flood risks identified in the Shannon River Basin District. The Plans will include a prioritised list of measures, both structural and non-structural, that can address flood risk in an environmentally sustainable and cost effective manner. Further information on the Programme is available on www.cfram.ie.
The Government recently announced increased levels of investment in the area of flood relief as part of the overall Capital Investment Plan 2016-2021 and this investment programme will allow for consideration of measures arising from the Flood Risk Management Plans.
