Dáil Éireann Debate, Tuesday - 16 November 2021
231. Deputy Claire Kerrane asked the Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform the funding that has been made available to a municipal district (details supplied) for flood relief schemes; that schemes that will be funded; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [55593/21]
View answerThe Flood Risk Management Plan (FRMP) for the Shannon River Basin, launched in 2018, includes a recommendation to progress a flood relief scheme for Ballinasloe. A Project Steering Group, comprising representatives from the Office of Public Works as Contracting Authority, and Galway County Council as project partners, is in place to progress the Scheme under the Arterial Drainage Acts 1945 (as amended).
In 2019, the OPW appointed Engineering and Environmental Consultants to complete the design of the scheme, which will provide protection to 222 properties when complete at a preliminary cost estimate of €8.6m.
The main measures proposed include:
- Construction of flood defences (including 530m of new defence walls, 5,050m of flood embankments and a demountable flood gate).
- Construction of two new 6m wide flood alleviation arch culverts at Ballinasloe East Bridge.
- Construction of two Lock Gates across the Canal and a sluice gate across the channel flowing into the marina from the canal.
- Upgrade the existing Kilclooney Road Bridge on the River Deerpark and regrading of the riverbed upstream and downstream of Kilclooney Road Bridge to maximize efficiency of the upgraded structure.
- Maintain all existing defences and the West and East Atlas channels to ensure their full capacity can be utilised in a flood event.
Public Consultation Days.
As part of the consultation process for the scheme, and in order to raise awareness of the proposed flood mitigation works, a “Public Consultation Day” (PCD) was held on the 5th of March 2020 which included a short presentation on the Scheme to Local Councillors. A further Public Consultation to discuss the emerging options for the Scheme will be held early in 2022. The OPW will be seeking input from all stakeholders and members of the public on the various emerging options under consideration, with a view to promoting a positive and inclusive approach to the scheme development.
OPW provides funding to Galway County Council for a Project Engineer to enable the Council to support the development of the Flood Relief scheme in Ballinasloe, and to progress flood relief schemes in Clifden and, in time, Portumna, and those schemes will be funded from within the allocated €1 billion for flood risk management over the period of the National Development Plan 2021-2030. Provision for the cost of the Scheme is included in the Office of Public Works' multi-annual capital allocation.
