Dáil Éireann Debate, Tuesday - 23 April 2024
68. Deputy Ruairí Ó Murchú asked the Minister for Public Expenditure, National Development Plan Delivery and Reform the progress made to date in 2024 in relation to the CFRAM scheme for County Louth; the current timelines for the delivery of the projects; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [17789/24]
Amharc ar fhreagraLouth County Council, working with the Office of Public Works (OPW), are the Lead Authority in the delivery of flood relief schemes at Dundalk/Blackrock South, Drogheda, Carlingford/Greenore, Baltray and Ardee, all of which are in the first tranche of projects being progressed. The funding for these schemes has been allocated under the €1.3bn investment in flood relief under the National Development Plan to 2030.
The development and progression of flood relief schemes is overseen by project Steering Groups with representatives, meeting typically monthly, from the OPW and Louth County Council and the consultant engineers. Delivering a flood relief scheme involves five distinct, sequential and related stages. Aligned to the decision gateways of the Infrastructure Guidelines these are assessing the flood risk and identifying options; seeking planning consent, detailed design, construction and maintenance. Public consultation forms part of the scheme design and project websites, available on floodinfo.ie provide updates on each scheme’s progress.
The Dundalk/Blackrock South and Ardee projects are being progressed simultaneously and engineering and environmental consultants were appointed in 2020. The proposed scheme will protect some 1,880 properties when completed. The emerging scheme option for Dundalk/Blackrock South is expected later in 2024 and the finalisation of options appraisal for Ardee is being prepared.
Consultants for the Drogheda and Baltray flood relief schemes were appointed in September 2021. The proposed schemes will protect some 454 properties when completed. The scheme option is expected in Q4 2024.
The OPW established a working group on Carlingford and Greenore that is focused on ensuring that all approaches for implementation are considered from a technical perspective and to propose the best method to proceed, and has met with Louth County Council engineers to progress the project. In Q1 2024 Louth County Council advertised a CCTV and Topographical Survey Tender competition for Carlingford and Greenore to collect data to develop a flood relief scheme.
Scheme viability reviews for Annagassan and Termonfeckin are being progressed by the OPW in-house with completion envisaged in Q2 2024.
The OPW since 2009, has approved circa €1.9m for 24 local flood projects to Louth County Council under the OPW's Minor Flood Mitigation Works and Coastal Protection Scheme.
