Patrick O'Donovan (Limerick County, Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

I will have to get back to the Cathaoirleach on the specifics. It could be the Office of Public Works if it is on an arterial drainage channel or it could be the local authority if it was handed over to it. We have developed a protocol in recent years in which post-completion is as important as completion. We want to make sure there is sufficient money for preventative maintenance. Ordinarily, that would come from the Office of Public Works. If the local authority has a pump or beacon that has gone or an underpinning that has washed away, it needs sufficient money to carry out the works. It would normally not have that. It can do that in conjunction with us. However, it requires an annualised inspection programme. We developed a scheme over recent years. It will start with Cork County Council as it has a large number. I pay tribute to the local authority flood risk consultative group, who are basically the engineers at the coalface in all local authorities. They meet regularly and discuss issues of this nature to show that if there is an ongoing problem with a pump, sump, underpinning, wall or whatever, there is a sufficient amount of money in place. It should not come as a surprise. That is why inspection programmes are vital. They also give assurance to the insurance industry that not only does the scheme meet the one-in-100-year event criteria but also that there is sufficient ongoing maintenance. We are at the pilot stage. It will be rolled out across the rest of the local authorities. I am not sure what the story is with Kilkenny County Council, but if a local authority has concerns regarding preventative or ongoing maintenance, moneys are available from the OPW to assist with that work.