Dáil Éireann díospóireacht -
Wednesday, 26 Jan 2000

Vol. 513 No. 1

Written Answers. - Flood Relief.

Willie Penrose

Ceist:

136 Mr. Penrose asked the Minister for the Environment and Local Government the role, if any, his Department plays in combating the problem of flooding; the steps, if any, he will take to deal with the problem of flooding in the Shannon catchment area in view of the damage done to property and the severe hardship caused to people in recent months; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [1577/00]

Bernard J. Durkan

Ceist:

591 Mr. Durkan asked the Minister for the Environment and Local Government his views on the reports of widespread flooding throughout the country; if he has brought this to the attention of the agencies responsible for drainage; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [2013/00]

Minister for the Environment and Local Government (Mr. Dempsey):

I propose to take Questions Nos. 136 and 591 together.

Under the Arterial Drainage Acts the Office of Public Works is empowered to undertake drainage schemes in response to flooding from any watercourse for the purpose of preventing or substantially reducing incidences of flooding. Other responsibilities in relation to certain navigable waters rest with the Department of Arts, Heritage, Gaeltacht and the Islands and Waterways Ireland, the new cross-Border authority. While local authorities are empowered under the Local Authorities (Works) Act, 1949, to execute works affording relief or protection from flooding, my Department has no substantive involvement by way of grant assistance or otherwise with these provisions.

Accordingly, it is not a matter for my Department to formulate a response to the problem of flooding in the Shannon catchment. Grants from the Environment Vote to local authorities for public water supply and sewerage schemes address flood relief requirements only in the context of measures to relieve overloading of existing sewerage networks in built up areas.

In order to ensure that flooding risks may be taken into account in the development process, the Planning and Development Bill 1999, will allow local authorities to make it an objective of development plans to regulate, restrict or control development in areas at risk of flooding whether inland or coastal.