Dáil Éireann Debate, Wednesday - 13 January 2016
247. Deputy Jack Wall asked the Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform the status of the catchment flood risk assessment and management proposal for a town (details supplied) in County Kildare; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [1482/16]
Amharc ar fhreagra248. Deputy Jack Wall asked the Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform the status of the catchment flood risk assessment and management proposals for County Kildare, including the locations they relate to; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [1483/16]
Amharc ar fhreagraI propose to take Questions Nos. 247 and 248 together.
Good progress is being made on the national Catchment Flood Risk Assessment and Management (CFRAM) Programme which is the principal vehicle for implementing the EU Floods Directive and forms the strategic focus of national flood risk management policy. Engineering consultants have been appointed by the Office of Public Works (OPW) to implement the Programme, through six regional studies. Local authorities and other stakeholders are involved, in partnership with the OPW, on Steering Groups and Progress Groups across the six study areas.
The Programme is focusing on 300 Areas for Further Assessment (AFAs), including 90 coastal areas, identified as being at potentially significant risk from flooding. Two CFRAM studies, the Eastern and the South Eastern, cover the 15 AFAs within Co. Kildare namely Celbridge, Clane, Johnstown Bridge, Kilcock, Leixlip, Maynooth, Naas, Newbridge, Turnings/Killeenmore (Morrell Scheme), Allenwood, Athy, Castledermot, Monasterevin, Rathangan and Suncroft.
The Programme involves the production of predictive flood hazard and risk mapping for each location, the development of preliminary flood risk management options and the production of Flood Risk Management Plans. The Plans will be used to determine national priorities for State investment in flood defences, on a systematic and objective basis taking into account social, environmental and economic factors.
Under the CFRAM Programme to date, draft flood maps have been produced and were the subject of a series of local Public Consultation Days which concluded in April, 2015. The draft flood maps will now be finalised following the conclusion of the national statutory public consultation on 23 December, 2015. Work on the next phase, assessment of preliminary flood risk management options is underway. In this regard, a series of Public Consultation Days will be held over the coming months, including one in Athy, to allow the public to view the preliminary options available and provide feedback on them.
Following the finalisation of the flood mapping and the identification of appropriate and viable preliminary flood risk management options, the final output from this important project will be integrated Flood Risk Management Plans containing specific measures to address in a comprehensive and sustainable way the significant flood risks identified. Further information is available on the individual project websites accessible via www.cfram.ie.
