Dáil Éireann Debate, Tuesday - 16 January 2018
276. Deputy Mary Lou McDonald asked the Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform if funding has been allocated for the flood defence works at Burnfoot, County Donegal; and when these works will commence. [1058/18]
View answerThe core strategy for addressing areas at potentially significant risk from flooding is the Office of Public Works (OPW) Catchment Flood Risk Assessment and Management (CFRAM) Programme. 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.
The flood maps and measures proposed for Burnfoot, which is an Area of Further Assessment (AFA) in the CFRAM Study, were developed prior to the flooding of August 2017 making use of the information available at the time.
As a result of the severe flooding in August 2017, the OPW took the decision to commission consultants to undertake a review of the Burnfoot AFA. The review will examine details of the August 2017 flood event and recent events in December 2017, in order to better understand the specifics of those flood events and to review the hydraulic modelling and flood mapping for this area.
Subject to the outcomes of this review, the OPW will re-assess the possible options to manage the risk and the economic viability of these options.
