Ms Clare McGrath:

The catchment flood risk assessment and management, CFRAM, programme was established as the national flood policy. Under the EU floods directive, we have undertaken a preliminary flood risk assessment throughout the country. Following consultation, we have identified 300 areas that are at risk. I am treating this matter separately from what we are doing at the moment in terms of our capital programme. CFRAM is the strategy for the future. We are involved in initial consultations in respect of the 300 areas. We are publishing the flood risk maps. The process is ongoing and we have undertaken 145 or 150 consultations on the maps. Towards the end of this year and into the beginning of 2016, we will publish the outline designs. They will not just be a document. They will be outline designs for the 300 areas that are at risk, of which 90 are coastal. The designs take account of climate change. The return period on the fluvial side is 100 years, which is the international standard. On the coastal side, our return period is 200 years due to the tidal impact. The designs take account of all of these elements.

Our programmed capital allocation is in the order of €45 million through to 2016. Works are in train at some of the 300 areas, but it will not be until we have the outline designs that we have clarity on indicative costings. We expect that there will be a significant increase in the demand for capital to give effect to the implementation of the schemes. Given the current position, we expect the additional demand to occur from 2017 or 2018 onwards, depending on the Government's opinion on the duration of the programme. If it is to be a ten-year programme, which might be our suggestion, the capital will be allocated accordingly. We must discuss with our colleagues in the Department of Public Expenditure and Reform the setting out of capital figures, but there will also be an internal capacity issue if we are to move to that level of resourcing. We will identify it as a demand. While we might commission consultants to develop the schemes, we will manage the schemes internally.

The Deputy mentioned coastal storm damage. Following the events at the beginning of 2014, the Government made an allocation for the repair of flood defences. That €19.1 million was channelled through the OPW's Vote. Of that amount, €7.5 million was drawn down in 2014. Local authorities applied to the Department of the Environment, Community and Local Government for funding based on the damage caused. Based on those local authority demands, the Government decided on what was more or less an equivalent amount, which has been channelled through us. The local authorities have undertaken the work.

Subject to agreement, on seeing that the work is done, they recoup the money from us, or they draw it down to undertake the works. There is the remainder for 2015. As they did not get to do it all in the year, an element of it comes within the allocation for 2015.