Seán Canney (Galway East, Independent) | Oireachtas source

I thank the Deputy for raising this matter today. I want to start by assuring all communities, including those living in Cork, that the Government is actively planning and taking every feasible measure to manage flood risk.

Ireland is more prepared than ever to tackle flood risk from the significant investment being made to tackle flooding. This investment includes 38 major projects completed at a cost of approximately €285 million, resulting in 7,700 properties being protected. A total of 11 flood defence schemes are currently under construction. Five are due to be completed this year protecting a further 2,000 properties. A total of seven schemes are scheduled to commence this year and a further 20 schemes will continue at the design and development stage. A further 6,100 properties in more than 400 locations are being protected from localised flooding completed under the OPW's minor works scheme. A further 200 projects have approved funding. An area of 650,000 acres of agricultural land is protected through the programme of maintenance of 11,500 km of river channels by the OPW. Planning guidelines have prevented building on flood zones since 2009. The CFRAM core strategy for addressing significant flood risks nationally is the catchment flood risk assessment and management programme. A total of 300 areas at potentially significant risk of flooding nationwide, selected as areas for further assessment, have been assessed under the programme, the purpose of which is to implement the EU floods directive and national flood policy. For the purposes of the national CFRAM programme, the country has been divided into six regional study areas, including the south-western and Shannon CFRAM study areas, including the two AFAs, Milford and Charleville, which are within the Shannon CFRAM. There is a total of 35 AFAs in Cork city and county.

The CFRAM programme is the largest flood risk management planning programme ever undertaken by the State. To date, the CFRAM programme has included detailed modelling and mapping in each of the 300 AFAs, including surveying and modelling of 6,700 kms of channels; the publication in 2015 of approximately 13,000 individual flood maps for public consultation; and over 400 public consultation days held in the AFAs throughout the CFRAM programme at which the CFRAM teams met and consulted with local representatives, residents, business owners and community groups at key stages on the flood maps and potential solutions. It has now identified feasible flood relief measures to provide protection to 95% of flood risk properties in the 300 CFRAM areas. The details are set out in 29 draft flood risk management plans which I have published since July 2016 for public consultation, which is now complete.

The national CFRAM programme is being undertaken by the OPW in partnership with its consultants, local authorities and other stakeholders. Cork County Council has been actively involved and has fully participated in progress groups and advisory groups for the CFRAM study. The OPW has also on two occasions made presentations to elected councillors on the draft flood risk management plans, one at the beginning of the study and most recently on 16 September 2016. The current position on the CFRAM study is that the draft flood risk management plans are now being finalised, taking into account the important and constructive submissions made through the public consultation held in 2016. When this process, scheduled for spring 2017, is completed, a prioritised list off feasible measures, both structural and non-structural, will be drawn up to address flood risk in an environmentally sustainable and cost-effective way. The plans will then be submitted for approval to the Minister of Public Expenditure and Reform and subsequently for adoption by the local authorities.

In the Cork area, while the Government is committed to prioritising future planned investment by the benefits that accrue, it has to be acknowledged that Cork has already benefitted and continues to benefit from significant investment. Only a few weeks ago I launched the public exhibition of the planned Cork city scheme. This is the largest flood defence scheme ever constructed in this country. The major capital investment commitment, which the Cork city flood relief scheme represents, is part of the significant capital funding envelope of €430 million which has been allocated to the OPW to spend between 2016 and 2021. The Cork city scheme will add to the very significant programme of investment in flood relief in Cork. Two further schemes are under way in Bandon and Skibbereen and six further schemes are planned for Blackpool, Glanmire, Douglas-Togher, Clonakilty, Ballymakeera and Midleton.

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