Dáil debates
Thursday, 18 January 2018
Ceisteanna - Questions - Priority Questions
Flood Relief Schemes Status
11:40 am
Kevin Moran (Longford-Westmeath, Independent) | Oireachtas source
The following tables set out the position on major flood relief schemes, that is, those that were at construction in 2017 and those that will be at construction stage in 2018.
Table 1 (Schemes at construction in 2017)
| Scheme | Status |
|---|---|
| Athlone, Co Westmeath | At construction since 2017; expected completion end of 2020 |
| Bandon, Co Cork | Construction ongoing; expected completion second half 2019 |
| Bellurgan, Co Louth | Commenced construction in 2017; expected completion 2018 |
| Bray, Co Wicklow | Construction completed in 2017 |
| Claregalway, Co Galway | Construction ongoing; expected completion by end 2018 |
| River Dodder, Dublin | Construction ongoing; expected completion by end of 2018 |
| Dunkellin River, Co Galway | Construction ongoing; expected completion early 2019 |
| Ennis Lower, Co Clare | Construction ongoing; expected completion by end of 2018 |
| Foynes, Co Limerick | Construction completed in 2017 |
| Limerick City, King’s Island advance contract at Verdant Place | Advance contract completed. Construction on main scheme likely in 2019 |
| Northlands, Co Meath | Substantially completed at end 2017 |
| Skibbereen, Co Cork | Construction ongoing; expected completion by mid 2019 |
| South Campshires, Dublin | Substantially completed at end 2017 |
| Templemore, Co Tipperary | At construction since 2017; expected completion by end 2020 |
Table 2 (Schemes at construction/likely to be at construction in 2018)
| Scheme | Status |
|---|---|
| Athlone, Co Westmeath | Ongoing construction; expected completion by end 2020 |
| Bandon, Co Cork | Ongoing construction; expected completion second half 2019 |
| Bellurgan, Co Louth | Construction to be completed in 2018 |
| Blackpool, Cork | Construction to commence second half of 2018; expected completion by end 2020 |
| Claregalway, Co Galway | Ongoing construction; expected completion by end 2018 |
| Clonakilty, Co Cork | Construction to commence in first half of 2018; expected completion by end 2020 |
| River Dodder, Dublin | Ongoing construction; expected completion by end 2018 |
| Douglas, Cork | Construction to commence in second half of 2018; expected completion by end 2020 |
| Dunkellin River, Co Galway | Ongoing construction; expected completion in early 2019 |
| Ennis Lower, Co Clare | Ongoing construction; expected completion by end 2018 |
| Ennis South, Co Clare | Construction to commence in first half of 2018; expected completion by end 2019 |
| Glashaboy, Co Cork | Construction to commence in second half of 2018; expected completion by end 2020 |
| Lower Lee (Morrisons’ Island) Cork City | Construction to commence in second half of 2018; expected completion in 2024 |
| Lower Morrell, Co Kildare | Construction to commence in first half of 2018; expected completion in mid 2021 |
| Sandymount (Phase 1), Dublin | Construction to commence in first half of 2018; expected completion in mid 2019 |
| Skibbereen, Co Cork | Ongoing construction; expected completion by mid 2019 |
| Templemore, Co Tipperary | Ongoing construction; expected completion by end 2020 |
The Deputy has raised this question a number of times, so I will outline the good work that has been done by my Department by naming the schemes for the House today. Schemes are in place in County Cork, County Louth, County Wicklow, County Galway, County Dublin, County Clare, County Limerick, Limerick city, County Meath, County Tipperary, County Westmeath, Cork city and County Kildare.
In addition to the above projects, under the existing programme of capital flood relief works, a further 18 schemes are at various stages of design and planning and will be brought forward to construction over the coming years.
In addition to the major schemes, the OPW provides funding to local authorities to carry out minor flood mitigation and coastal erosion works, with 60 projects being completed in 2017. The 29 flood risk management plans developed under the CFRAM programme are undergoing an independent review of the strategic environmental assessments, SEAs, by the Minister for Finance and Public Expenditure and Reform. Once this independent review of all SEAs is completed and observations addressed, I hope in the coming weeks to seek the formal approval from the Minister for Finance and Public Expenditure and Reform for the plans. A number of the proposed structural measures included in the plans will be progressed to detailed project level review and design on a priority basis during 2018.
The OPW has no role in the oversight of insurance companies or their commercial operations but does exchange information with the insurance industry on completed flood defence schemes, in line with the agreed memorandum of understanding with Insurance Ireland, the representative body for the insurance industry. To date, the OPW has provided details to Insurance Ireland on 18 completed schemes nationally and Insurance Ireland surveys its members to ascertain the extent to which flood insurance cover is available in these areas. The results of the most recent survey indicated that 83% of property insurance policies in these areas include cover against flood risk. We are making significant progress on insurance.
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