Simon Harris (Wicklow, Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

I join with Deputy Dooley in paying tribute to those people he has rightly highlighted as heroes in the response to the very bad weather. I too was struck by the story of the huge ordeal the Kinsella family has gone through and I pay tribute to them for their major efforts. It is important to note that the CFRAM process will reduce the time it takes to deliver a scheme by about two years. Therefore, the work that is being done now, for example, the outline design and the consultation with the community, will reduce a scheme that normally takes about five years to complete to three years. While three years is still a long time, we cannot be dishonest with people. These are major capital schemes that we have to get right.

Ireland is on track to deliver its draft CFRAM plans by mid-2016 but we have not been sitting on our hands. We have been moving ahead in delivering a number of schemes, including the scheme for Ennis. The town of Ennis has been the focus of a number of flood relief schemes in recent years, with the completion of the River Fergus, Ennis upper and Ennis lower flood relief schemes. Clare County Council has reported in the media that these schemes have significantly reduced the impact of flooding on the town in recent days. Further works at Aughanteeroe and Fioruisce are currently being undertaken and Clare County Council is progressing a scheme for Ennis south which I expect to commence construction next year. The investment in proactive planning through CFRAM during the past five years for these 300 areas will significantly reduce the delivery times of feasible schemes in these areas.

There has been a lot of information about capital spend on flooding. While I do not want to be partisan on this, I want to be clear that the issue of funding in regard to the delivery of these schemes is not a problem. We have €430 million set aside for the next five years under the capital plan. That means we will be spending more on the delivery of these flood relief schemes over the next five years than in the past 20 years, which is right and proper considering the suffering that communities have experienced and the increased frequency of adverse weather events. I want to assure this House and the public that there is, and will continue to be, sufficient funding available to meet all requirements for flood relief in any year. I welcome the proposal by the Minister, Deputy Kelly, which was approved by Cabinet today, to make €8 million available to local authorities, including Clare County Council, in terms of the clean-up costs that will be incurred by communities.

I would also make the point that my office continues to run the minor flood works scheme. Clare County Council may carry out flood mitigation works under this heading, whereby it can apply for funding of up to €500,000 to carry out minor works that it may believe will be of benefit to its community. Some €1.56 million has been allocated to Clare County Council under this scheme since it was introduced in 2009 to the end of last year.

The Deputy has raised a number of important issues, including, bravely if I may say so, the issue of relocation, which is a sensitive but important issue. When we have concluded the CFRAM process, which will be by about the middle of next year, coupled with the report of the interdepartmental group on flooding to Cabinet, whoever is in government at that time, a range of options and issues, like relocation, flood forecasting and flood insurance, will have to be dealt with. I look forward to debating those issues in this House.

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