Dáil Éireann Debate, Tuesday - 31 January 2017
368. Deputy Brendan Griffin asked the Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform if the sluice gates in a canal (details supplied) in County Kerry will be repaired or replaced to prevent flooding; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [3766/17]
View answerThe Office of Public Works (OPW) has maintenance responsibility only for those Catchment Drainage Schemes and Flood Relief Schemes completed by the OPW under the Arterial Drainage Acts 1945 and 1995.
The location referred to by the Deputy does not form part of any OPW maintained arterial drainage scheme and, as such, this Office has no responsibility for its maintenance.
Local flooding issues are a matter, in the first instance, for each Local Authority to investigate and address, and Kerry County Council may carry out flood mitigation works using its own resources.
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 at http://www.opw.ie. It is open to Kerry County Council to submit a funding application under this Scheme. Any application received will be considered in accordance with the overall availability of resources for flood risk management and the scheme's eligibility criteria, available on the OPW website.
