Simon Harris (Wicklow, Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

It is not a question of whether we need to establish a statutory authority because we have one in place.

The Deputy's party set it up when in government, when the European Communities (Assessment and Management of Flood Risks) Regulations 2010 were introduced under Statutory Instrument No. 122 of 2010 which had been transposed into Irish law. Under the regulations the Commissioners of Public Works were appointed as the competent authority under the floods directive for meeting the requirements of the directive. In that capacity they are required to promote co-ordinated implementation of the directive across river basin districts or other units of management and to work with the competent authorities in Northern Ireland in respect of international river basin districts. The Office of Public Works, OPW, has already delivered many flood relief schemes under successive Governments, including in Fermoy, Mallow, Clonmel and Bray and on the River Dodder. The Deputy, however, makes an interesting point about the need to ensure there is better coordination. That is why we have put in place a new Shannon co-ordination group, the terms of reference of which will be published in the coming days. It will bring together all of the statutory agencies which have many different roles and functions in respect of electricity supply, navigation and tourism and flood management. The main point is that the OPW, under the catchment flood risk assessment and management, CFRAM, process, will have 300 areas at risk of flooding mapped and plans to put in place flood mitigation measures. It is the authority that must deliver them, of which 66 will be in the Shannon river basin.

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