James Bannon (Longford-Westmeath, Fine Gael)
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I welcome the Minister, Deputy Pat Rabbitte, to discuss this important issue, the urgent need to establish a River Shannon authority as a management structure for the river. In recent weeks Members have seen the devastating effects of flooding and storm damage on householders, farmers and business owners, as well as on people's livelihoods, in many parts of the country, particularly the midlands and the River Shannon catchment area of Longford-Westmeath. Many people in the River Shannon region suffered severe hardship as result of recent flooding which was a recurrence of the November 2009 floods. I sympathise with those affected. In 2010 the then Oireachtas joint committee, after consultation with the various agencies involved, prepared and presented a report on the severe weather events to a number of agencies, including the Office of Public Works, OPW, the Minister's Department and the local authorities. It was felt by the majority at the time that, if implemented, it would ensure future severe weather events would be managed at least partially. During the years most flooding events on the River Shannon have been followed by a report which, in turn, has been followed by little or no action. I had reservations about the last report, as a River Shannon authority was once again sidelined by the Government of the day. Having raised the matter of the establishment of a River Shannon authority several times in both the Seanad and the Dáil during the years, I was disgusted at the response from the then Minister which contained the same old standard speak regarding the co-ordination of flood risk management with the OPW as lead agency and embarking on the development of a catchment flood risk assessment and management plan for the River Shannon. I have heard it all before.

Were my proposal for a River Shannon authority to be put in place by statute, it would have overall control of river management and development in the River Shannon catchment area from the source of the river to the Shannon Estuary. Such an authority would have control of putting in place a flood alert system as part of a national system to increase awareness of potential river flooding. It could alleviate flooding in the Shannon basin in both urban and rural areas by the co-ordination of water levels on the entire river right through the year. It would be the tool with which the 40-plus State agencies and voluntary bodies would work to co-ordinate their activities. The onus is on the Government to act, to put in place this River Shannon authority and bring forward real and substantive plans to manage the River Shannon and prevent serious flooding in the Shannon region like that experienced in Athlone, County Westmeath and Clondra, Lanesborough and Clonmacart, County Longford.

There is a genuine fear, should the proposed abstraction of water from the River Shannon by Irish Water go ahead, that it would have a detrimental effect on tourism in the midlands, as well as on the water supply for group schemes in Longford, Westmeath and other counties. I do not wish to see the River Inny as a casualty, as it supplies water to one third of counties Longford and Westmeath. It is important, before any project commences or water is drawn, that water levels be agreed to by such an authority now that the local authorities will not have authority in this regard. It is important, from the point of view of the public in the midlands, that the drawing of water be measured to the lake or reservoir and a charge be levied on Dublin for every 100,000 Iitres of water drawn. Such moneys could be used for projects outside Government resources for the benefit of the midlands. The existence of a River Shannon authority would mean the drawing of water could be monitored and administered from the midlands only. There is no structure to ensure the co-ordination of the activities of the bodies involved. A River Shannon authority would provide such a structure.

I am not leaving this proposal here and intend to pursue it again, as its delivery is essential. This is the umpteenth time householders, farmers and business owners in the counties adjoining the River Shannon have faced immeasurable hardship owing to flooding. I reiterate my belief that were this proposal to be taken on board and implemented, it would minimise flooding and allow the natural function of the river basin to develop. This is an issue about which I feel strongly and this authority has long been promised. Its delivery is now essential.

Pat Rabbitte (Dublin South West, Labour)
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I thank the Deputy Bannon for raising this matter. On behalf of my colleague, the Minister of State with responsibility for the Office of Public Works, Deputy Brian Hayes, who is absent on business, I welcome the opportunity to address the House on the subject of the management structure of the River Shannon.

At the outset, it would be useful to outline briefly the position regarding the responsibilities and involvement of different agencies to the Shannon. There are many organisations, national and local, with statutory obligations for the management of the catchment. For example, Waterways Ireland, WWI, has responsibility for navigation and, as such, will exercise some limited control over water levels in lakes and river stretches. The Electricity Supply Board, ESB, has statutory responsibility for the control of lake levels arising from water requirements for hydroelectric generation of electricity at Ardnacrusha. Environmental concerns, fisheries matters and tourism or recreational issues are dealt with by the relevant agencies with responsibilities in these matters. Local authorities, ten county councils, in the catchment monitor water quality with the assistance of a number of laboratories and have responsibility for its control.

The Office of Public Works main area of responsibility is for maintenance on those tributaries where capital works have been carried out under the Arterial Drainage Act 1945. The OPW hydrometric service also gathers water level and discharge information at a number of sites on the river. Operational control of water flows and levels on the Shannon is therefore primarily the responsibility of both the ESB and WWI. The ESB has overall statutory responsibility for the management and control of water flows and levels on the Shannon. WWI also has a direct role and function in managing levels on the river. A system of management and control is in place involving co-operation by those two bodies under a detailed set of operational protocols and arrangements for the regulation of water levels on the river. I am advised that it is the bodies' view that this system has worked and is working satisfactorily. The OPW has no direct operational responsibility for the management of water levels on the Shannon. The OPW liaises regularly with the ESB and WWI on the operation of the management protocols.

Given the variety of bodies involved and the disparate functions for which each one is responsible, the formation of a single authority or agency to oversee and co-ordinate management arrangements for the Shannon has been discussed on a number of previous occasions and indeed has been the subject of Private Members' Bills in this House. The question of creating a single authority for the River Shannon is a major policy issue because of the very diverse range of powers, activities and responsibilities that would be affected. These include electricity generation, tourism, infrastructure, water quality, water extraction, waste water disposal, flood risk management and a range of environmental responsibilities.

As Deputy Bannon is aware, the question of the optimum structure or structures to manage the Shannon and its tributaries was the subject of a report in 2002 by a sub-committee of the Joint Committee on Public Enterprise and Transport. It is worth noting that the report indicated that a consensus existed among the numerous groups and bodies involved in the management of the Shannon that, while improvements in the management of the Shannon basin were needed, there was no agreement on the establishment of a new organisation as the best means to achieve this end.

The 2002 report attempted to establish how effectively the present organisational arrangements enabled the Shannon catchment to be managed and what might best be done to improve the process. Two main merits attributed to the present arrangements for the management of the Shannon catchment were identified. They were that functional responsibility is clearly fixed in law and each organisation has a precise remit, knows exactly what it is required to do and has clearly established priorities; and communication and collaboration between the various agencies take place using well established mechanisms, such as committees, working groups and partnerships.

The main weakness identified was a lack of co-ordination, among the organisations involved. The sub-committee took the view however that it would be undesirable to establish any additional institution unless it could be clearly demonstrated that tangible benefits would flow which could not otherwise be achieved. It noted the danger that an extra organisation might usurp or duplicate existing institutions or else be just a talking shop. The report concluded that the establishment of a new organisation would be something that could be recommended only as a last resort.

James Bannon (Longford-Westmeath, Fine Gael)
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I thank the Minister. At the beginning of his presentation he outlined the problem, namely too many bodies with responsibility. He mentioned the 11 local authorities from Fermanagh down to Clare, the various State agencies and vested interests etc. We need a single body to co-ordinate those agencies. I live in the Shannon valley and I see first hand what is happening. The co-ordination is not working. No Government or Minister could do anything about the severe weather conditions but the monitoring was not up to an acceptable standard, considering the amount of land that was flooded. I have raised this time and time again. It does not cost a lot of money to get the weir gates opened and keep the water levels two feet below the weir wall in Athlone.

On the maintenance of the Shannon and the waters feeding it, debris such as leaves and branches flows down into the river. It is important that those blocks are cleared fairly often between Lough Ree and Lough Derg. There needs to be more local consultation and co-ordination, and flood warning systems and emergency management need to be put in place to alleviate the build-up of silt in the River Shannon. We should examine using the cutaway bogs in Counties Longford, Westmeath, Offaly and Roscommon to drain off and store water from the Shannon when necessary.

As I said, a large number of statutory bodies exercise authority over various aspects of the river management and they are all chiefs in their own right. A number of private organisations are also involved. There is no structure to ensure the co-ordination of those activities.

Ann Phelan (Carlow-Kilkenny, Labour)
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Thank you, Deputy.

James Bannon (Longford-Westmeath, Fine Gael)
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One would have to be on the ground to see that. These bodies are a law unto themselves and a River Shannon authority would provide such a structure. I am not leaving the matter here. I intend to pursue the establishment of a River Shannon authority through a Private Members' Bill.

Ann Phelan (Carlow-Kilkenny, Labour)
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I must ask Deputy Bannon to conclude.

James Bannon (Longford-Westmeath, Fine Gael)
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I have been with my colleagues in the Bills Office and hopefully it will come before the House in the not-too-distant future.

Pat Rabbitte (Dublin South West, Labour)
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As Deputy Bannon said, one of the main problems with the Shannon is the frequent flooding. I accept that. The management of flood risk on the Shannon is being actively and comprehensively addressed through the OPW's catchment flood risk assessment and management, CFRAM, programme. The CFRAM programme is the core strategy for addressing flood risk in the Shannon basin. The CFRAM study is being conducted by Jacobs Engineering on behalf of the OPW and I am advised that good progress is being made on the project.

The output of this important project will be an integrated plan involving mapping and modelling of the river system and identifying specific measures to address, in a comprehensive and sustainable way, the significant flood risk factors in the Shannon basin. This will also include looking at all existing arrangements for the management of water levels and the roles and responsibilities of the main bodies involved, including the levels of co-ordination between them. The detailed plan to manage flood risk which will be produced under the CFRAM study will consider and make recommendations on any improvements deemed appropriate and workable in the existing arrangements and protocols being operated by those bodies.

We must wait to see what recommendation emanates from the CFRAM study and plan on the best way forward on the co-ordination of the management arrangements for the Shannon, which is what Deputy Bannon argues for. In the meantime the main bodies involved will continue to maintain constructive dialogue with all the main stakeholders to ensure, to the greatest extent possible, that a balanced and fair approach is taken to the management of water levels in the Shannon and its lakes to meet the needs of navigation, power generation and the welfare of those living directly adjacent to the main river channel.