Dáil Éireann Debate, Thursday - 24 November 2016
7. Deputy Brendan Smith asked the Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform the discussions he or his Department has had with the authorities in Northern Ireland in relation to the need to have drainage work carried out on the River Erne in County Fermanagh which impacts adversely with flooding in areas of County Cavan; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [36371/16]
View answerDeputy Brendan Smith has been delayed and will not make it. He has asked me to state his concern regarding the need for drainage work on the River Erne in County Fermanagh which is affecting many areas downstream in County Cavan. The same applies to rivers all over the country, particularly at this time as we approach the time of year when flooding began last year. I will pass on the information relating to the River Erne to Deputy Brendan Smith, but the Minister of State might take a minute or two minutes to update people on flood readiness generally.
The core strategy for addressing areas at potentially significant risk from flooding is the Office of Public Work's catchment flood risk assessment and management, CFRAM, programme. A total of 300 locations nationwide are being assessed under the programme, which is being undertaken by engineering consultants on behalf of the OPW working in partnership with the local authorities. Cavan town is one of these locations and part of the North Western-Neagh Bann CFRAM study.
The River Erne catchment is being assessed under the Office of Public Works in close co-operation with Northern Ireland's River Agency. This co-operation is part of our respective implementation of the EU floods directive and, therefore, the Erne system in both Ireland and Northern Ireland has been fully assessed as part of the CFRAM study.
Representatives of the Rivers Agency attend regular progress and steering group meetings of the North Western-Neagh Bann CFRAM programme. On 9 May 2016, a further high-level meeting of representatives from the Rivers Agency and the OPW to discuss issues of mutual co-operation took place. This co-operation is ensuring the measures will not adversely affect flood risk in other parts of the Erne catchment.
Public consultation on the measures in draft flood risk management plans, including the feasible measures for this CFRAM study area, closed on 28 October. The comments received will inform the final plans due to be finalised for approval by the Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform in spring 2017.
The River Erne does not form part of any of the OPW's arterial drainage schemes under the Arterial Drainage Act 1945. The statutory duty of maintenance for drainage districts rests with the local authorities concerned.
The Minister of State has hit the exact point that he and I have discussed. It is not the responsibility of the OPW, but that of the local authority. When the local authority is contacted, it claims it is not its responsibility but that of somebody else. Nothing gets done and flooding happens, and we go back through the same scenario.
Has Cavan County Council received any money for minor works on the River Erne that might assist downstream areas and might provide coverage and protection to people in the weeks and months ahead? Will the action plan for 2017 be funded directly through the OPW or will it be done on a cross-Border basis?
The Deputy asked several questions. He asked about the minor works scheme. I do not have that information to hand but I can find it out for the Deputy.
As I said previously, the CFRAM programme is the way forward. It identifies the 300 areas of risk. There is close co-operation between the Rivers Agency and the OPW. The Office of Public Works has a role to play. It is normally the lead agency that brings forward the schemes. The schemes are financed through the Office of Public Works. That has worked successfully. There are 12 flood relief projects on the ground compared with only four in 2015. A further 23 schemes are in place nationally. We have a huge number of minor works going on. We have protected 7,000 properties under the major relief schemes and have protected 5,000 properties under minor works.
