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Dáil Éireann díospóireacht -
Tuesday, 10 Dec 2002

Vol. 559 No. 1

Priority Questions. - Anti-Flood Measures.

Tony Gregory

Ceist:

48 Mr. Gregory asked the Minister for Finance the anti-flood measures carried out on the Dublin city stretch of the River Tolka since the recent floods; and the further interim measures which will be undertaken in advance of the publication of the special report. [25867/02]

At the request of Dublin City Council the Office of Public Works has carried out some emergency works since the severe floods on 14-15 November 2002. There was a danger of subsidence at three houses off Tolka Road following the failure of a protecting wall and the Office of Public Works was requested to place rock along approximately 30 metres of the exposed bank to stop further erosion. To secure this more fully a concrete wall is now being built, similar to the original wall, along this stretch. Rock has also been placed in the bed of the channel to prevent scouring of the new wall. A number of trees that were obstructing the flow of water in this area were also removed. This work is due to be completed in the next few weeks.

I understand that Dublin City Council has also undertaken some emergency work by installing temporary flood defences in the Griffith Park area. The council has also undertaken a programme of gully cleaning in the areas affected.

As the Deputy will be aware, Dublin City Council, at the request of the Office of Public Works, agreed to include a detailed study of the River Tolka in the greater Dublin strategic drainage study. The study is being funded by the Office of Public Works and is expected to be completed in May 2003. Following the recent flooding, the consultants were requested to produce an interim report on what measures could be taken in the immediate term to alleviate flooding in the worst affected areas. The interim report is currently being studied by officials of Dublin City Council and the Office of Public Works. A meeting has been arranged between the council and my officials for 16 December 2002 to progress the matter.

Is the Minister aware that the interim report, to which he referred, has recommended that urgent works be undertaken at a cost of €8 million? The meeting between Dublin City Council and the Office of Public Works next Monday will request funding for those urgent works, which include raising walls and embankments and replacing some foot bridges. The consultants have stated that these works are urgently required.

Hear, hear.

They can only be carried out, however, if the Office of Public Works agrees to fund them to the tune of approximately €8 million. Given that his Department is responsible for anti-flood measures, will the Minister give a commitment that any interim works the consultants have found to be essential will be funded, regardless of any budgetary constraints? Even if a commitment is given next Monday to fund those works, with planning permission requirements, such works could only start in March or April 2003. This matter is most urgent and should be considered by the Minister immediately. I am asking for his response. These works relate to the following areas: Botanic Avenue, Millmount Avenue, Clonliffe Road, Ballybough Road and Richmond Road. If they are not carried out and there is more heavy rainfall, there is a danger that hundreds of houses will again be flooded.

I am aware of the recommendations that are being discussed currently between Dublin City Council and the Office of Public Works. There will be a meeting on Monday to progress that report further. I am also aware that substantial work, primarily wall building, is to be carried out to the tune of €7.3 million. While I do not wish to pre-empt next week's meeting, I know the Office of Public Works's staff and equipment will be involved in building embankments among other things.

As regards the issue of funding, the Office of Public Works does not currently have any powers to do any work on the Tolka River. The Office of Public Works requested the report to be commissioned and paid €870,000 for it, but the issue remains as to who will fund the work. At the moment, it is a project for Dublin City Council and clearly it will have to come from central funding at some stage. It is not the responsibility of the Office of Public Works, however. The Office of Public Works will assist Dublin City Council and as a result of the discussions that will take place on 16 December, a decision may be taken with regard to funding. At this stage, however, I do not want to pre-empt how that will work out.

The Office of Public Works has been carrying out work on the Tolka River, whether or not it has the power to do so, since the recent floods.

It has been assisting work, Deputy.

Will the Minister accept that he has been misled by his own advisers? In his reply to the Dáil following the floods, the Minister of State stated that no interim measures would be carried out. The urgent works that are now listed in the preliminary report are the very ones which were outlined by other Deputies and me in this House. It is patently obvious what needs to be done. If the Office of Public Works is satisfied that these works are urgent, and presumably it will accept the recommendations of the consultants it has appointed, will the Minister of State give an assurance that funding will be provided for the city council to carry out the works, or a combination of Office of Public Works workers and funding, and that these interim measures, which are urgent and essential to prevent further floods, will be carried out without delay? The Minister of State has a direct responsibility for this issue. He would not be answering the question in the House if he did not.

The last occasion we discussed this matter in the Dáil was immediately after the floods and at that stage I announced the humanitarian aid scheme. The Deputy made some recommendations and I said that Office of Public Works and city council engineers and the consultants for the major report, which is not due until May, would produce an interim report. The bulk of the report is about raising walls and embankments. It also mentioned some restrictions on the river in terms of footbridges, as discussed by the Deputy. It is substantial work, amounting to €7.3 million. When it is decided to do the work, it will have to go through the full planning process, go to tender and be submitted for observations. This will not happen overnight. I assure the Deputy and the House that the Office of Public Works will make all resources available to Dublin City Council to get the best response possible.

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