Dáil Éireann Debate, Tuesday - 3 July 2018
110. Deputy Brendan Smith asked the Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform if essential flood relief works will be undertaken by the OPW or if specific funding will be allocated to a local authority to have drainage work undertaken at locations (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [29090/18]
View answerThe Office of Public Works (OPW) carries out a national programme, on an average five-yearly cycle, of statutory Arterial Drainage Maintenance to a total of 11,500km of river channel and approximately 730km of embankments nationally. These maintenance works meet the statutory maintenance responsibilities for arterial drainage schemes completed by the OPW under the Arterial Drainage Acts 1945.
The Boyne, Inny and Glyde-and-Dee Arterial Drainage Maintenance Schemes are in operation in County Cavan. However, the river and areas referred to by the Deputy, are designated Drainage Districts for which Cavan County Council is responsible for ongoing maintenance.
Local flooding issues are a matter, in the first instance, for each Local Authority to investigate and address, and County Councils may carry out flood mitigation works using their own resources. The OPW operates the Minor Flood Mitigation Works and Coastal Protection Scheme to provide funding to Local Authorities to undertake minor flood mitigation works or studies to address localised flooding and coastal protection problems within their administrative areas. This Scheme’s eligibility criteria, including a requirement that any measures are cost beneficial, are published on the OPW website, www.opw.ie .
Any application received is considered in accordance with the scheme eligibility criteria, and having regard to the overall availability of resources for flood risk management.
