Patrick O'Donovan (Limerick County, Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

I welcome the budget allocation for the Office of Public Works, OPW, for 2022, an allocation of over €579 million. That comprises €142 million for flood risk management, an increase of 12%, and €452 million for estate management. I pay tribute to the staff of the OPW who during the pandemic have managed to maintain a full service on behalf of the OPW and who operate in this House to provide services to the staff and Members of the House.

We hope to commence six major flood relief schemes during 2022, together with our partners in the local government sectors, in Crossmolina, County Mayo; Glashaboy, County Cork; Morrison's Island public realm scheme in Cork city; King's Island in Limerick city; and the Poddle here in Dublin. We also hope to complete works Ashbourne in County Meath, Athlone in County Westmeath, Ennis in County Clare, Templemore in County Tipperary, Springfield in County Clare and Clonakilty in County Cork. These projects represent massive contributions to the resilience of those communities that have suffered greatly from flooding. We also expect that some other works may present themselves outside of the planning framework and may also be able to proceed.

The OPW, with its partners in the local authority system, maintains in excess of 2,000 km of channels for maintenance under the Arterial Drainage Act, and another 130 km of flood defence embankments all over the country. With its partners in the local authority system, the OPW provides relief under the minor works relief scheme. That will continue to play a major part in the work of the OPW. I pay particular tribute to the outdoor staff of the local authorities and the OPW all over the country who have had to deal with the plague of flooding that has occurred in recent years. In the immediate aftermath of my own appointment, over a year ago, we endured flooding in Galway, Kerry, Limerick and Cork. I met a number of Deputies all over the country who had to endure the scenes of the after-effects of flooding in many houses. The OPW stands ready to assist, and will assist, local authorities with the allocation it has received from the 2022 budget through the minor works scheme.

The conversation around climate change cannot be allowed to continue in its current guise unless the issue of community defences forms part of it. The OPW stands ready to be part of that conversation.

On the issue of heritage assets, the OPW will complete works at the Céide Fields and The Blasket Centre. We have also engaged with the local community in Dún Chaoin, County Kerry. I pay tribute to my colleague, Deputy Griffin, in that respect. We will also complete work at Annesgrove in County Cork, after a significant investment of over five years; in Doneraile in County Cork; and in Emo Court in County Laois. We also have significant works pencilled in for the Phoenix Park.

I pay tribute to my colleague, the Minister of State, Deputy Noonan, for the work undertaken at Sceilg Mhichíl, which is a UNESCO world heritage site. The OPW, along with the Department of Housing, Local Government and Heritage, identified work, together with Fáilte Ireland, in that UNESCO site.

The management of the State's leases and property portfolio is also something for which the OPW has responsibility. We have responsibility for the completion of the forensic science laboratory in Backweston in County Kildare, the Ceann Comhairle's constituency. We hope to complete that project in 2022. We also have responsibility, shared with the Department of Justice, for the roll-out and completion of the Garda station programme.

My time is limited and I apologise to my colleagues in the OPW for trying to do a whistle-stop speech. I thank, in particular, the staff who serve this House, both indoors and outdoors. I know the Ceann Comhairle will join me in those thanks. I wish those staff well in the year ahead.

See this speech in context