Aodhán Ó Ríordáin (Dublin North Central, Labour) | Oireachtas source

I thank the Ceann Comhairle's office for allowing me to raise this issue and the Minister of State, Deputy Brian Hayes, for dealing with it. The latter has shown an excellent commitment to flood prevention measures generally and has responded to all of the issues I have raised in this regard in the House. I am obliged, however, to raise the situation of the residents of Maryfield Crescent in Artane, which was flooded in the summers of 2008 and 2009 and again in October 2011. On rainy days such as today, the residents become worried that they will endure further flooding.

Dublin City Council has indicated that before any flood relief measures can be taken in the area, there must be a hydraulic analysis of the Naniken river. The problem, however, is that the council claims it does not have the €50,000 required to undertake that analysis. When I inquired recently as to whether the Office of Public Works might provide the council with the funding it needs to proceed, I was told that such an analysis is not eligible under the minor works scheme. The situation, therefore, is that the council cannot proceed with the hydraulic analysis which is a prerequisite to the implementation of any potential flood relief measures. The expenditure involved, at €50,000, is very little in the overall scheme of things but could have a huge impact for these families. Some of them have no home insurance and, as such, their properties are effectively worthless. Any potential buyer of a house in Maryfield Crescent would likewise be ineligible for home insurance and would not, therefore, obtain a mortgage. In other words, the residents are locked into their current homes for the foreseeable future.

Will the Minister of State indicate whether the OPW will provide the necessary funding to Dublin City Council to carry out the required hydraulic analysis of the Naniken river? Without that analysis, the council cannot identify a long-term strategy for the alleviation of flood risks in the estate and the residents will remain in a no-man's land. I acknowledge that significant flood relief work is ongoing in other parts of the country and in other areas in my constituency, including the Clanmoyle Road in Donnycarney. In the case of Maryfield Crescent, however, no remedial process can commence until the hydraulic analysis is carried out, after which the council would be in a position to identify a way forward. As I said, an outlay of only €50,000 might be the first step in making life easier for the residents.

Although I am loath to raise this issue in Dáil Éireann, I have little choice in the matter since Dublin City Council has washed its hands of it. It is probably not a matter for this House, but I am obliged to take this opportunity to seek the Minister of State's assistance in moving towards a solution.

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