Since 2009, a number of major flood defence schemes have been completed in the Shannon catchment area including Ennis Upper and Derrymullen, Ballinasloe. Further schemes are currently underway at Kings Island in Limerick, Foynes, Athlone, Ennis Lower and Ennis South.
The core strategy for addressing areas at potentially significant risk from flooding is the Office of Public Works (OPW) Catchment Flood Risk Assessment and Management (CFRAM) Programme. The Programme is focussing on 300 Areas for Further Assessment (AFAs) including 90 coastal areas, mainly in urban locations nationwide, identified as being at potentially significant risk of flooding. It is the principal vehicle for implementing the EU Floods Directive and national flood policy.
The Programme, which is being undertaken by engineering consultants on behalf of the OPW working in partnership with the local authorities, involves the production of predictive flood mapping for each location, the development of preliminary flood risk management options and the production of Flood Risk Management Plans (FRMPs).
The Shannon CFRAM Study is one of six regional CFRAM Studies commissioned by the OPW to examine in detail the causes of significant potential flooding risk. It is a significant project covering an area of 17,800 square kilometres with a population of 670,000 in 17 local authority areas. 66 of the 300 AFAs nationally are located within the Shannon CFRAM Study area. The CFRAM is also addressing the management of the flood risk on the Shannon Callows as part of this programme. The overall cost of the Shannon CFRAM Study to date is €7.1m.
There has been an extensive response to the recent public consultation on the draft FRMPs and has provided constructive and wide-ranging observations and comments. The review and assessment of each of these, while taking longer than expected, is indicative of the nature of the value of the comments received and are informing the final Plans.
Final Plans, taking account of the submissions received, are now being reviewed by the OPW. They will then be submitted over the coming weeks to the Department of Public Expenditure and Reform in relation to the environmental assessments of the Plans prior to their formal submission to the Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform for approval, scheduled for the Autumn.
Determining which option best addresses the flood risk for each area was decided against agreed Flood Risk Management Objectives. The Objectives are aimed at considering potential benefits and impacts across a broad range of factors including economic, environmental and cultural, social and technical. Prioritising schemes for investment in the future will be assessed against the respective costs and benefits each delivers against the Objectives.
While the information in relation to the costs for each measure are not available at this time the Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform in September 2015 announced details of a €430 million 6 year programme of capital investment on flood defence measures as part of the Government’s overall Capital Investment Plan 2016 – 2021. During this time, the annual allocation for flood defence schemes will more than double to €100m.
In addition to large-scale schemes, funding is available through the Minor Flood Mitigation Works and Coastal Protection Scheme to Local Authorities to address localised flooding in the Shannon Catchment and throughout the country. The recent review of the Scheme examined all the existing criteria with a view to strengthening and improving the operability of the Scheme. As a result, the upper financial threshold has now been increased significantly from €500,000 to €750,000 per project and for the first time, farm yards/buildings will be included as commercial premises in all categories. Other improvements include lowering the benefit to costs ratio for smaller projects, improved benefit allowances for different property types and updated methodology for diverted journeys due to flooding.
In January 2016, the Government took decisive action to support the existing plans in place to address flooding on the Shannon and established the Shannon Flood Risk State Agency Co-ordination Working Group to enhance ongoing co-operation of all State agencies involved with the River Shannon and to add value to the CFRAM Programme.
The Shannon Flood Risk State Agency Co-ordination Working Group has taken the decision to consider developing a plan for strategic maintenance works on the River Shannon that will complement the Group’s Work Programme and the specific measures that are identified for the areas at risk in the CFRAM Shannon Flood Risk Management Plan. The Group has established a sub-committee to explore all of the necessary legal, environmental, technical and other considerations that arise in bringing forward both short term and long term proposals that can benefit flood risk management.
