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

In 2019, the OPW completed a flood relief scheme at Bellurgan at a cost of some €700,000. It protects 35 properties. The evidence provided by the CFRAM programme, which was launched in May 2018, supports the Government's €1.3 billion planned investment in flood relief through the national development plan as part of Project Ireland 2040. One key output of the CFRAM programme was the flood risk management plans that contain proposed flood relief measures informed by costs, benefits and environmental factors to address the flood risk in each assessed community and nationwide. To deliver the proposed measures set out in these plans, Louth County Council, working with the OPW, has agreed to be the lead agent in the delivery of flood relief schemes at Dundalk, Blackrock south, Drogheda, Carlingford and Greenore, Baltray and Ardee, all of which are in the first tranche of projects being progressed.

The development of flood relief schemes, overseen by project steering groups with representatives meeting monthly from the OPW and Louth County Council, involves five distinct, sequential and related stages. The first stage involves assessing the flood risk and identifying options, followed by planning, detailed design, construction and maintenance. Public consultation forms part of each stage and project websites, available on floodinfo.ie, provide updates on each scheme.

The Dundalk, Blackrock south and Ardee projects, which are being progressed simultaneously, were chosen by Louth County Council as the first project to be advanced in Louth.

The tender for engineering and environmental consultancy services was awarded in 2020 to a joint venture between Binnies, formerly Black & Veatch, and Nicholas O'Dwyer Limited. The proposed scheme will protect some 1,880 properties when completed and the scheme option is expected in the first half of 2023.

In regard to the Drogheda and Baltray schemes, the tender for engineering and environmental consultancy services was awarded to RPS Consulting Engineers Limited in September 2021. The proposed scheme will protect 450 properties when completed and the scheme option is expected at the end of 2023.

The OPW is meeting Louth County Council over the coming weeks to discuss finalising the engineering and environmental consultancy services tender brief for the Carlingford and Greenore scheme. Unfortunately, the Leas-Cheann Comhairle is indicating that my time is up.

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