Ms Carmel Kirby:

It was agreed by the three agencies concerned, Iarnród Éireann, Clare County Council and the Office of Public Works, OPW, to deliver a joint opening statement to the committee. We welcome the opportunity to update the committee on developments since May 2018 when we previously attended.

Clare County Council was requested at that time to facilitate a process and to reconvene as a steering group to move the issue towards a resolution. Clare County Council engaged with Iarnród Éireann and the Office of Public Works over the summer months, with a formal meeting early in October and a further meeting earlier this month. The latter was attended by Clare County Council, Iarnród Éireann, OPW, Shannon Group and RPS, the consultants to Iarnród Éireann.

RPS has been engaged by Iarnród Éireann to develop a feasible engineering solution to the flooding issue at Ballycar. The consultants have been given a more wide-ranging and a broader remit to include consideration of the downstream impacts and also to develop measures to mitigate against any potential impacts in the Shannon area of any proposed solution. A technical subgroup has been set up to liaise directly with the consultants, and technical input will also be provided by the Geological Survey of Ireland.

The updated report will take account of the following, as necessary: the Shannon CFRAM study, including the Shannon Estuary North and Mal Bay River basin district hydrological study and the flood risk management plan for river basin, 27/28, Shannon Estuary North and Mal Bay; recently completed and ongoing schemes, including Ennis - The River Fergus Lower (Ennis) certified drainage scheme; the Ennis South flood relief scheme and other arterial drainage schemes and drainage districts; and any Land Commission embankments that may be in the study area.

Further meetings have been scheduled for December 2018 and February 2019. RPS is to finalise its new report and present proposals to Iarnród Éireann in the spring of 2019. From this report, the most appropriate technically feasible option to address the Ballycar flooding issue will be considered by the bodies.

This represents the joint position of the three bodies. We are committed to the concept of sustainability and to the delivery of optimum service of key strategic infrastructure and will continue to work together to resolve the problem on the rail line at Ballycar.