Ossian Smyth (Dún Laoghaire, Green Party) | Oireachtas source

Although this question is about flooding, it is not for my colleague, Deputy O'Donovan, to answer because it is a question for the consenting authority, who is the Minister, Deputy Donohoe.

I refer to previous updates on this matter given to the House regarding the consent process for the River Deel flood relief scheme, prepared by the Office of Public Works under the Arterial Drainage Acts. The Minister for Public Expenditure, NDP Delivery and Reform is the consenting authority for flood relief schemes, which are prepared by the Office of Public Works under the Arterial Drainage Acts. In accordance with the European Union (Environmental Impact Assessment) (Arterial Drainage) Regulations 2019, the OPW has sought consent for the River Deel flood relief scheme. The regulations mandate that, as the consenting authority, the Minister undertake an independent assessment of the environmental impact statement for the Crossmolina flood relief scheme. Section 7E(4) of the European Union (Environmental Impact Assessment) (Arterial Drainage) Regulations 2019 provides that there is access to sufficient expertise to examine an environmental impact assessment report submitted by OPW. In accordance with these requirements, the Department has appointed independent environmental consultants to review submissions received during the periods of public consultation and to carry out any necessary environmental assessments as required by EU directives. Following the initial period of public consultation, held between 1 December 2020 and 11 January 2021, the Department sought additional information regarding the scheme from the OPW, as provided for under Section 7(4)(b) of the European Union (Environmental Impact Assessment) (Arterial Drainage) Regulations 2019. In July 2021, the Office of Public Works submitted this information to the Department. A second period of public consultation was then held, as legally required when supplementary information of this type is received. That began on 6 May 2022 and finished on 1 July 2022. The environmental experts retained by the Department then examined the information received and recommended that, in order to reach a full, reasoned conclusion of the environmental impacts of the scheme, additional supplementary information should be sought. This supplementary information was requested from the OPW in July this year. The OPW supplied this supplementary information to the Department on 17 November and it is currently being examined, as required by the regulations.

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