Dáil Éireann Debate, Thursday - 24 November 2016
152. Deputy Brendan Griffin asked the Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform further to Parliamentary Question No. 106 of 3 November 2016, his views on a matter (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [36666/16]
View answerParts of the townland of Ardcullen are low lying and within the benefiting areas of the River Feale drainage scheme and are protected by OPW embankments. That scheme was constructed in the 1950s under the Arterial Drainage Act 1945. It was designed to provide outfall to agricultural land and not designed to provide protection to properties from extreme flooding events such as have been seen in recent years. OPW carried out some emergency repair works to the embankments this year and intend to carry out further defence works in 2017. It must be highlighted that the Cashen Estuary is a Special Area of Conservation and as such has protected status. Consultants for the Cashen Estuary Drainage Project have recently been appointed by this Office to bring a viable scheme forward through environmental assessment, detailed design, tender and construction, subject to available funding.
