Vol. 526 No. 6
219 Mr. O'Flynn asked the Minister for Finance if he will report on the potential impact of sustained quantitative increases in average rainfall; and the plans he has to control flooding which may be expected to result from such a phenomenon. [27257/00]
While the specific impacts on individual areas of the country from changes in weather patterns arising from global warming have not been definitively established, it is generally reasonable to assume that increases in sustained rainfall events will potentially lead to more frequent and/or extensive inundation of existing flood prone areas and put additional marginal areas at risk of flooding. Pending the definitive assessment of the impacts of climate change, it is not practicable to develop general flood control plans in the absence of specific problems. The Office of Public Works, in the preparation of individual flood relief schemes, currently take into account some increases in flooding levels.
I intend to reconvene the interdepartmental committee constituted by my predecessor in 1996 to examine the effects of bad weather. As part of the review of the recent bad weather and consequential flooding, I will ask the committee to consider the question of flood risk mapping. This is a complex task but I believe, when completed, it would give valuable assistance to local authorities, particularly when preparing development plans and considering planning applications.
