Dáil Éireann Debate, Tuesday - 17 November 2020
90. Deputy Aindrias Moynihan asked the Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform the flooding projects to be undertaken by the OPW, in County Cork for 2021; the estimated cost of same; the drainage projects to be undertaken by Cork County Council with financial assistance from the Office of Public Works; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [36701/20]
View answer109. Deputy Aindrias Moynihan asked the Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform when flood defence construction works will advance in the upper Lee area for Inchigeelagh, Ballingeary and Ballyvourney; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [36702/20]
View answerFlooding is a real concern for locals in a wide range of areas in Cork including in Ardcahan, Crookstown, Curraheen, Ballingeary, Ballyvourney and Inchigeelagh. While Cork County Council and the OPW have been advancing different works, there is so much background work that not much has been seen delivered on the ground in many places. People in these areas are worried that they will be facing flooding despite plans being in place for some time. Will the Minister of State outline the plans for advancing defences in these places?
I propose to take Questions Nos. 90 and 109 together.
There is much work going on in Cork in this regard. I spent most of my summer, unfortunately, with flood victims there.
The OPW has undertaken a study of 80% of Ireland’s major sources of flooding across 300 communities in the most comprehensive study of flood risk ever undertaken by the State. The findings from the catchment flood risk assessment and management programme, CFRAM, are set out in a series of flood risk management plans. These plans identify and describe the flood risk assessed in each of 29 river basins and set out the proposed measures to address that flood risk.
The plans were launched in May 2018 and include 119 new flood relief capital works projects. These works will be funded as part of the national development plan which includes a total investment of €940 million. There are currently 11 projects at construction and a further 82 at various stages of design with a further 58 to be progressed in the coming years.
With regard to schemes under way in County Cork, the lower Lee flood relief scheme with an estimated cost of €140 million at exhibition stage will provide protection from fluvial and tidal flooding.
The Blackpool and Glashaboy flood relief schemes, with estimated costs of €20.5 million and €14 million, respectively, have been submitted by the OPW under the provisions of the Arterial Drainage Acts, accompanied by an environmental impact assessment report and a Natura impact statement to the Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform for formal confirmation. The procurement and appointment of a contractor will be progressed for this schemes following formal ministerial confirmation.
The Douglas flood relief scheme, estimated cost of €22.6 million, is being carried out in the following three phases. Phase 2 is complete with phase 1 currently under construction with the tender for phase 3 to issue shortly.
The Clonakilty flood relief scheme which will provide protection from fluvial and tidal flooding with an estimated cost of €27 million is currently under construction. The Midleton flood relief scheme with an estimated cost of €50 million is currently in the final stages and expected to move to the planning stage by the first quarter of 2021. A second public participation day was held on 7 March 2020.
The Ballyvourney and Ballymakeera flood relief scheme is at outline design stage. The preferred options of the scheme are now nearing finalisation. The OPW is aware of the high water quality status of the respective water body in the area around Baile Mhic Íre and Baile Bhúirne. The project team is assessing the potential impact of any proposed flood relief measures in that respect. It is engaging with the project’s environmental consultants in order to ensure that suitable mitigation requirements are implemented, as well as ensuring appropriate processes to comply with statutory provisions are followed. This is obviously an important consideration. Resolving some outstanding issues is taking longer than originally anticipated.
Bantry flood relief scheme - unfortunately the people of Bantry have been inundated again this week - is due to be implemented as part of the first tranche of 60 new schemes that have been prioritised for implementation nationally. Cork County Council has agreed to be the lead authority in the delivery of the scheme. Potential viable flood relief works, at an estimated cost of €6.7 million, to be implemented as appropriate after project-level assessment and planning, will include fluvial flood defences comprising walls and embankments with tidal flood defences comprising sea walls. Tender documentation is currently being finalised for the procurement of engineering consultants.
The proposed schemes for Ballingeary, Inchigeelagh, Inishannon, Castlemartyr, Castletown Bearhaven, Kanturk, Rathcormack, Schull and Youghal are not in the first tranche of projects to be progressed. The OPW and Cork County Council are working closely to ensure that the programme of flood relief projects identified for County Cork is kept under review. They will also work to ensure all projects will be commenced as soon as possible within the ten-year timeframe for the programme of investment. In addition, feasibility reports for proposed schemes at Macroom, Carrigaline and Ballinhassig are under review.
The OPW also manages a minor flood mitigation works scheme to provide funding to local authorities for small for localised schemes. Over €3.9 million has been approved to Cork City Council and Cork County Council under this scheme since it began in 2009.
The above schemes will bring the investment in the city and county areas of Cork to approximately €500 million when completed. Together with the completed operational schemes in Mallow, Fermoy, Bandon and Skibbereen which provide flood protection to over 1,100 properties, the other schemes in the programme will offer flood protection to approximately 4,100 properties when completed.
There is an extensive plan outlined for a wide range of areas across Cork. The Minister of State outlined the back and forth with the Ballyvourney and Ballymakeera plan. Is there a fast-track approach available to advance it through the planning process once the design is finalised? The work in that area is very much needed.
There were hopes to advance works in Ballingeary and Inchigeelagh. It has been moved to a tranche 2 scheme and, in the meantime, some smaller remedial works are being conducted. Will the Minister of State clarify when this will be advanced?
On the specifics of the schemes the Deputy identified, some of them are minor works which could be done by Cork County Council. I will get him more specific times on them.
Deputy Aindrias Moynihan raised this issue in the previous Dáil. There was a long debate in the House last week on flooding with another in the Seanad tomorrow. I would like to be able to tell Deputy Aindrias Moynihan that we can fast-track places that have been flooded. Unfortunately, we cannot. My hands are tied by legislation outside of my control, most of which is environmental and planning in nature, as well as a lot of it which is of European consequence. We are bound by many regulations that, unfortunately, we have to contend with in order to make sure we can bring the schemes to construction.
The Cork city situation has been 16 years in development, with others equally as long.
While there is much prestige and more money involved with the larger schemes, the smaller schemes have huge impact in areas such as Crookstown, Curraheen and Ardcahan Bridge. One of the key roads into west Cork is via Crookstown, the R585. When that floods, it shuts out a significant flow of traffic from west Cork. The council is awaiting approval from the OPW. Will the Minister of State give an indication if the OPW can give the council the go-ahead?
Funding for the Ardcahan Bridge works is available from the Department of Transport but waiting for the OPW to give the go-ahead. Will we get an indication that the works there can proceed?
Works on the Curraheen River in Curraheen village had been progressed by Cork County Council. It was moved into the city and it seems to be now dropped. Is there any indication that the OPW has maintained plans and is advancing them for Curraheen village?
The three projects in question are under discussion between the OPW and Cork County Council. I will revert to the Deputy on each of them individually.
I know the Crookstown one well. I have a brother and sister living in Bandon. Indeed my brother has been flooded on several occasions in Bandon, so I know the value of the flood relief scheme there. I also know the village of Crookstown has often been cut off by flooding.
Flooding is getting worse. It is getting to a situation where many communities are now seeing it not once every five years but once a year. Regardless of the specifics raised by the Deputy, I have asked for the House's co-operation on this. We are going to have to respond to this issue, not case by case or village by village, but on a whole-of-government basis. I hope to bring, with my colleague, the Minister, Deputy Michael McGrath, by the end of the year a memorandum to the Government which will detail where we are with the roll-out of CFRAM and where I believe we need to get to.
