Written Answers Nos. 120-129
120. Deputy Finian McGrath asked the Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform to support a matter (details supplied) regarding the restoration of the public service and Civil Service pension cuts; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [1607/16]
Amharc ar fhreagraI refer to my reply to Question Reference No. 44000/15 of 9 December 2015.
121. Deputy Jerry Buttimer asked the Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform the status of proposed flood relief works at Tullibeg in Ballinhassig in County Cork, given that homes in the area were recently flooded again, if he will prioritise this project; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [1621/16]
Amharc ar fhreagraThe Office of Public Works is liaising with Cork County Council in relation to information on the flooding of properties in that local authority area during December, 2015.
The OPW received a number of applications in 2011 and 2012 from the Council, under the Minor Works & Coastal Protection Scheme, to carry out flood relief works in Ballinhassig. These applications did not meet the criteria for the scheme. A further application was received from the Council in March 2013 to carry out a flood risk assessment and outline design of flood relief proposals. This application was not approved as the area was subject to study as part of the Lee Catchment Flood Risk Assessment & Management (CFRAM). The OPW's consultants for the South Western CFRAM study reviewed the Lee CFRAM outputs in 2013 and indicated that the hydrology for the Owenboy River needed to be updated.
It is the intention of the OPW to update the hydrology and undertake a Flood Relief Feasibility Study for Carrigaline. In that context it is expected that progress on this study, which will cover Ballinhassig, will commence during the first half of 2016.
Depending on the outcome of the Feasibility Study, flood relief measures for Ballinhassig will be progressed if viable.
122. Deputy Brendan Griffin asked the Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform if the Foiladonn area of Glenflesk will be included as an area for further assessment and why this area was not included to date given the recent flooding of homes in the area; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [1642/16]
Amharc ar fhreagra123. Deputy Brendan Griffin asked the Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform if sluice valves will be installed on tributary streams of the River Flesk at Foiladonn in Glenflesk in County Kerry to prevent water from backing up the streams and flooding nearby properties; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [1643/16]
Amharc ar fhreagra124. Deputy Brendan Griffin asked the Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform if he will liaise with Kerry County Council to have the eyes of the bridges at Gortahoosh and Curreal opened up as some of them are now completely blocked and beginning to act as a dam, causing the water to flood the adjoining area and properties when the river is in flood; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [1644/16]
Amharc ar fhreagra125. Deputy Brendan Griffin asked the Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform if he will liaise with Kerry County Council to have the trees that are blocking the flow of water removed from the River Flesk at Glenflesk as they are causing the water to flood the adjoining area and properties when the river is in flood; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [1645/16]
Amharc ar fhreagra126. Deputy Brendan Griffin asked the Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform if he will liaise with Kerry County Council to have gravel removed from parts of the River Flesk, where it is causing a blockage, causing the water to flood the adjoining area and properties when the river is in flood; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [1646/16]
Amharc ar fhreagra127. Deputy Brendan Griffin asked the Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform if he will liaise with Transport Infrastructure Ireland to install flood relief drains under the raised section of the upgraded N22 at Glenflesk in County Kerry, as the raised road is acting as a dam to contain the river from its natural flood plain into a confined area, causing the water to flood the enclosed properties when the river is in flood; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [1647/16]
Amharc ar fhreagraI propose to take Questions Nos. 122 to 127, inclusive, together.
The river referred to by the Deputy does not form part of any Arterial Drainage Scheme which would fall under the remit of the Office of Public Works (OPW) under the 1945 Arterial Drainage Act. The OPW therefore has no responsibility for the maintenance of this river.
Glenflesk village, including Curreal bridge, is one of 300 locations nationwide that is being assessed under the OPW's Catchment Flood Risk Assessment and Management (CFRAM) Programme, the purpose of which is to implement the EU Floods Directive and national flood policy. The Programme involves the production of predictive flood risk and hazard mapping for each location, the development of appropriate and viable preliminary flood risk management options and the production of flood risk management plans. Under the South Western CFRAM Study, draft predictive flood maps for Glenflesk have been produced and were the subject of a Public Consultation Day in Glenflesk on 21 October 2014. Following the conclusion on 23 December 2015 of the national statutory public consultation on the draft flood maps, the maps will be finalised in early 2016. Work on the Preliminary flood risk management options phase of the CFRAM Study is under way. In that regard, a Public Consultation Day was held in Glenflesk on 8 December 2015. Further information is available on the South Western CFRAM Study website www.southwestcframstudy.ie. All possible options to manage the flood risk in Glenflesk are being considered to develop feasible flood risk management plans. The feasible options will not cause any flooding impact upstream or downstream of the area being protected.
The Preliminary Flood Risk Assessment in 2011 designated those areas at potentially significant risk from flooding for further assessment through the CFRAM programme. The decisions at that time were based on preliminary modelling, historical records and also public consultation, including with the Local Authorities. Foiladonn and Gortahoosh bridge are not included in the CFRAM Study assessment of Glenflesk. The OPW is preparing its plans to meet the requirement in the EU Floods Directive to conduct a further assessment in 2017 of areas at potentially significant risk from flooding for further assessment.
Local flooding issues are a matter, in the first instance, for each Local Authority to investigate and address, and Kerry County Council may carry out flood mitigation works using its own resources. The Office of Public Works operates a Minor Flood Mitigation Works and Coastal Protection Scheme. This administrative Scheme's eligibility criteria, including a requirement that any measures are cost beneficial are published on the OPW website, www.opw.ie. It is open to the Council to submit a funding application under the Scheme. Any application received will be considered in accordance with the overall availability of resources for flood risk management and the scheme's eligibility criteria available on the OPW website.
128. Deputy Brendan Griffin asked the Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform given the positive indication provided in his reply of 4 December 2014, when works on a project (details supplied) in County Kerry will proceed; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [1649/16]
Amharc ar fhreagraAs outlined to the Deputy in previous replies to Parliamentary Questions on this subject, the channel in question is part of the River Maine Catchment Drainage Scheme which was carried out by the Office of Public Works (OPW) under the Arterial Drainage Act 1945. The OPW continues to have a statutory responsibility for the maintenance of this scheme.
Each year the OPW carries out work to approximately 2,000 km of channels and some 200 structures around the country as part of its ongoing and rolling arterial drainage maintenance programme. While the average cycle of maintenance is generally in the range of 4 to 7 years, the OPW does routinely inspect all channels and structures for which it has maintenance responsibility. The timing of work on individual projects is determined having regard to the needs of regular maintenance and the prioritisation of urgent jobs.
In the case of the River Maine Catchment Drainage Scheme, maintenance resources are currently concentrated on works to damaged defences in tidal reaches and it is not possible at this stage to provide a specific timeframe when work will proceed at the location mentioned by the Deputy.
129. Deputy Terence Flanagan asked the Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform if he will address a matter (details supplied) regarding Departments; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [1659/16]
Amharc ar fhreagraIn response to the Deputy's question 1890 numbers were introduced with the intention of reducing call costs for members of the public to Government agencies. At that time they were implemented by a large number of public bodies. Primarily people used landlines to contact agencies and these calls were charged at local rates. Mobile phone usage became more prevalent and mobile and fixed operators did not include 1890 numbers in the bundles offered to customers so any included minutes that were available on a package could not be used to make these calls.
In 2011 my Department reached an agreement with the Commission for Communications Regulation (ComReg) to assign a specific block of 076 numbers for public service use. The 076 number range is designated as a non-geographic landline service where calls are charged as a national number from landlines and mobiles.
My Department also developed the Government networks infrastructure to accept and deliver 076 numbers anywhere in the country. An advisory note was issued to all public bodies advising them to move to 076 numbers as soon as possible. The charges associated with the use of 1890 numbers and the potential savings with 076 numbers which would benefit both customers and public bodies were outlined.
Delivery of an effective and quality customer service is a priority for my Department and there are guidelines on my Department's website that provide details of the cheapest way of contacting my Department from anywhere in the country.
