Kevin Moran (Longford-Westmeath, Independent) | Oireachtas source

As Minister of State at the Department of Public Expenditure and Reform with special responsibility for the Office of Public Works and flood relief, I will outline the Office of Public Works' 2019 gross allocation of just under €464 million. The Estimate figure of €464 million takes account of the rescheduling of funding to programme A, flood risk management, that was within the original Estimate I presented to the committee on 12 February. During my attendance at the previous committee meeting I outlined how the 2019 allocation for flood risk management would support both capital infrastructural and non-infrastructural work to mitigate flooding and provide much needed protection for homes and businesses. I reiterate the Government's commitment within the national development plan of €1 billion for flood risk management. The rescheduling of funds in no way undermines my commitment to achieve the targets outlined in the 29 flood risk management plans published in 2018 or the 119 new projects to be undertaken in addition to the 35 projects included in the existing programme. This work will be progressed in the next decade and provide protection for 95% of the properties assessed in the plans to be at significant flood risk.

The OPW will consider all possible options to mitigate any negative impact of the rescheduling of funds from the original Estimate presented to the committee.

The OPW currently has ten flood relief projects at construction stage, 25 schemes at design and planning stages and an additional 57 new projects from the flood risk management plans which I announced in May 2018 on which further design work will be advanced during 2019. As the committee will be aware, the progression of these projects is dependent on many variables. Hence, the OPW will review progress throughout 2019 in order to assess where the rescheduling of funds is most effectively allocated. I fully support the OPW in this exercise and reassure the committee that all projects will be delivered in the quickest possible timeframe.

There is no change to the 2019 Estimates funding of €355 million previously presented to the committee regarding estate management, which supports the OPW in the provision of accommodation for civil servants and the ongoing enhancement, maintenance and preservation of the State’s heritage sites and monuments.

I thank the committee members and administrators for the speed in scheduling the reconsideration of the OPW 2019 Estimates and I am happy to take any questions.