Eoghan Murphy (Dublin Bay South, Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

The Department has been doing a lot of work on this area because of its importance not only around flooding but also our responsibility regarding certain EU directives on river basin management plans and river catchment areas. Work is ongoing in the Department to progress that. I am in regular contact with the Minister of State with responsibility for the OPW on all these issues as we do share certain areas of responsibility. We are currently discussing how best to manage this. I have provided additional funding to the local offices to do this work and recently spoke to the river trusts conference in Iveagh House which was the first conference it held outside the UK. We discussed other initiatives that can be taken on funding and also support to the groups which manage these different river areas. That work is continuing and I am in constant contact with the Minister of State with responsibility for the OPW on this issue in particular.

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