Martin Mansergh (Tipperary South, Fianna Fail)

The planning and development process is critical in avoiding the creation of further flood risk. As the Minister mentioned, we have issued a draft guidance document on planning which is almost ready. Development on flood plains should be avoided where possible. Undoubtedly, in some previous developments flood plains were not always recognised as such and increased urbanisation and the reduction of open ground for water absorption have added to the problems we face. No doubt planners had to take account of other polices but the bottom line today is that development should mitigate existing risk, not add to it.

A contribution, though it is not a panacea, could be made also by granting the same attention to maintaining drains and waterways as to repairing potholes. Except where necessary to avoid pollution, we should stop tarmacking everything including yards, drives and gardens. We should do this much more selectively.

The outcomes from the flood mapping and flood risk assessment management study programmes will satisfy the requirements of the EU floods directive which will be transposed into Irish law before the end of this year. I have given the highest priority to progressing the OPW's programme of major structural flood relief schemes to reduce the flood risk in areas that already have a long history of flooding. There have been several successful schemes, including Kilkenny, Carrick-on-Suir, the River Tolka and a number of others. Construction work on flood relief schemes such as Mallow North, Clonmel West and Ennis Upper are substantially complete. I draw attention to the success of the defence scheme in Mallow on Thursday night-----

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