Dáil Éireann Debate, Friday - 16 September 2016
915. Deputy Ciarán Cannon asked the Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform if he is satisfied that Galway County Council has sufficient resources in terms of funds and staff, to design all of the flood relief projects that are necessary to prevent a reoccurrence of the numerous flooding incidents across County Galway in January 2016. [25517/16]
View answerThe most significant flood risk issues in County Galway are being examined under the Western Catchment Flood Risk Assessment and Management (CFRAM) project. The draft Plan is currently at public consultation stage and will run for another ten weeks. Following the public consultation process, the draft Plan will be finalised taking on board the comments received. The finalised 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. All Plans, scheduled to be completed by the end of 2016, will then be sent to the Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform for his approval. Any measures to be advanced through detailed design and planning and then implemented in County Galway will be undertaken, following finalisation of a ranking system, by the Office of Public Works (OPW) in partnership with Galway County Council. Decisions on who will be the Contracting Authority on individual projects will be decided following discussions with the Council once the Plans are finalised. Any projects to be undertaken will be funded by OPW.
In addition, the Council is continuing to make applications to OPW for funding under the Minor Flood Mitigation Works and Coastal Protection Scheme. Since the beginning of 2015, a total of 30 projects have received approval from OPW for projects put forward by the Council, with approximately half of them being fully completed and funds already drawn down by the Council. The level of resources required for such projects is a matter for the Council.
