Kieran O'Donnell (Limerick City, Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

I am taking this debate on behalf of my colleague, the Minister of State with responsibility for the OPW, Deputy Patrick O’Donovan. I thank Deputy Andrews for raising this important issue.

The Office of Public Works is responsible for leading and co-ordinating the implementation of flood relief schemes to protect Ireland against significant flood risk from rivers and the sea. The catchment flood risk assessment and management, CFRAM, programme, Ireland’s largest study of flood risk, was completed by the OPW in 2018. CFRAM studied the flood risk for two thirds of the population against the risk of flooding from rivers and seas. An output of the CFRAM programme, the Government’s flood risk management plans, provides the evidence for the design and construction of an additional 150 relief schemes for the most at-risk communities. The Government has committed €1.3 billion to 2030 under the national development plan to deliver these 150 additional flood relief schemes.

Since 2018, a partnership between the OPW and local authorities throughout the country has allowed Ireland to treble to approximately 100 the number of flood relief schemes currently at design, development and construction stages. The progression of flood relief schemes involves complex engineering and construction solutions and therefore requires lengthy planning and decision lead-in times. The process for the development of flood relief schemes follows a number of stages, including stage 1, scheme development and preliminary design; stage 2, planning; stage 3, detailed design; and stage 4, construction. During the relevant stages, extensive and detailed technical analysis is required to establish the most appropriate solution, which also has to be adaptable to the increased risk from climate change. Extensive public consultation is also required at various stages to ensure that those affected by a scheme have the opportunity to make an input into its design and implementation.

Ecological and archaeological issues that arise during the relevant stages often require in-depth analysis in order to ensure that the technical solution selected will meet the requirements of existing EU and national environmental legislation.

In relation to the flood relief scheme in Sandymount that Deputy Andrews mentioned, the OPW is providing technical and financial support to Dublin City Council that is leading the development and design of the flood relief scheme at Sandymount. In 2022, following discussions between the OPW and Dublin City Council, it was agreed that the Sandymount flood relief scheme would be progressed through a steering group consisting of representatives from the OPW and Dublin City Council. To facilitate the appointment of consultants for the Sandymount flood relief scheme, Dublin City Council is undertaking a tender process for the establishment of the multi-party framework agreement for consultant engineering design services for flood alleviation projects, with the initial contract being the Sandymount flood relief scheme. Dublin City Council issued its tender on 2 November and it is planned to appoint consultants in the first quarter of 2024.

The development of a detailed project programme for the Sandymount flood relief scheme will commence following the appointment of an engineering consultancy for the scheme. Dublin City Council has completed preliminary design works on a possible design option for part of the overall Sandymount flood relief scheme. While it is envisaged that stage 1 of the Sandymount flood relief scheme to identify an option will take approximately three years, the appointed consultants will be tasked with identifying whether advanced works or a phased approach to the overall scheme can be progressed. Following the identification of the preferred option, the Sandymount flood relief scheme will be required to go through various stages of development, including environmental assessments for planning, design and construction. I will take back the request of Deputy Andrews to the Minister of State, Deputy O'Donovan, and the OPW with regard to meeting the residents and Dublin City Council. We all want to get schemes built as quickly as possible.

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