The river and areas referred to by the Deputy, are designated Drainage Districts and Cavan County Council is statutorily responsible for their ongoing maintenance. Funding in 2019 for these maintenance works is allocated to the Council by the Minister for Housing Planning and Local Government.
Local flooding issues are a matter, in the first instance, for each Local Authority to investigate and address, and County Councils may carry out flood mitigation works using their own resources.
The OPW operates the Minor Flood Mitigation Works and Coastal Protection Scheme to provide funding to Local Authorities to undertake minor flood mitigation works or studies to address localised flooding and coastal protection problems within their administrative areas. This Scheme’s eligibility criteria, including a requirement that any measures are cost beneficial, are published on the OPW website, www.opw.ie. Any application received is considered in accordance with the scheme eligibility criteria, and having regard to the overall availability of resources for flood risk management. To date, the OPW has approved up to €400,000 to Cavan County Council under this scheme.