James Browne (Wexford, Fianna Fail) | Oireachtas source

I thank Deputy Stanton for raising the important matter of the dredging of River Owenacurra in Midleton and the River Kiltha in Castlemartyr in light of recent flooding in east Cork. Flooding has a devastating impact on homes, businesses, people and entire communities. The causes, extent and impacts of flooding are varied and complex. This has been witnessed recently by the community of Midleton during Storm Babet and more recently in County Galway during Storm Debi.

The catchment flood risk assessment and management, CFRAM, programme, the largest study of flood risk, was completed by the OPW in 2018. It studied the flood risk for two thirds of the population against their risk of flooding from rivers and the sea. The outputs from this study were the flood risk management plans. These 2018 plans are providing the evidence for a proactive approach for designing and constructing flood relief schemes for the most at-risk communities. Cork County Council is leading the design of the Midleton flood relief scheme. In 2017 it appointed engineering and environmental consultants. Major flood relief schemes involve complex engineering and construction operations that can impact people's living, built and natural environments. The process follows a number of stages from feasibility through design, planning, detailed design and construction. It is important that the work is done correctly and achieves its objectives. Extensive and detailed technical analysis is required to establish the most appropriate solution, technically and environmentally, from a range of possible mitigation options. The solution has also to be adaptable to the increased risk from climate change.

When all possible options to manage the flood risk at Midleton were examined, one of the options included the dredging of River Owenacurra. The engineering analysis of this option highlighted how the dredging of the bed of the River Owenacurra is not technically viable in the tidally dominated reach. This is because the maximum water level of the tide will still be reached regardless of how much the elevation of the bed may be reduced by dredging. However, the engineering analysis did highlight how dredging in the fluvially dominated reach is deemed viable but only in combination with other flood mitigation measures. This dredging option has been brought forward to the optioneering stage for this scheme design. On its own, dredging in the fluvially dominated reach is not considered viable as it would have significant negative environmental impacts and would require extensive underpinning of the existing bridges.

In relation to Castlemartyr, Midleton is just one of some 100 flood relief schemes that are at design and construction stages at this time. This is a threefold increase since 2018 and is supported by €1.3 billion for flood relief measures through the national development plan. It is not possible to progress all 150 flood relief schemes identified by the flood risk management plans due to the constraint of the availability of the professional and specialised engineering skills that are required to design and construct flood relief schemes. While the prioritised approach to delivering schemes means that work is complete or under way to protect 80% of all at-risk properties nationally, the flood relief project for Castlemartyr is not in the first phase of projects being progressed nationally. However, the funding for this scheme is available. The OPW is currently trialling a new delivery model towards a more efficient means of delivering all 50 schemes in the second tranche of schemes. The proposed flood relief scheme at Castlemartyr consists of the diversion of River Kiltha around the town via an existing bypass channel through the grounds of the hotel and the construction of flood walls to protect vulnerable properties at the confluence of the River Kiltha and the bypass channel. Once consultants are appointed to progress this scheme, consultation with statutory and non-statutory bodies as well as with the general public will take place at the appropriate stages to ensure that all parties have the opportunity to make an input into the development of the scheme.

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