Noel Coonan (Tipperary North, Fine Gael)
Link to this: Individually | In context | Oireachtas source

I thank the Ceann Comhairle for the opportunity to raise this issue and for the Minister of State, Deputy Harris, for coming to the House to respond to it. I look forward to a positive response from him. Templemore flood relief scheme is going on a long time and there is a long history attached to it. I will not go into all the details, but suffice to say that a public exhibition on a proposed solution to deal with the flooding problem for the long-suffering people of Templemore was held between 30 January and 4 March 2009. The Minister of State is aware of the difficulties flooding places on people. There is not just the damage to property, inconvenience and the horror they experience at the time but the subsequent problems, such as lack of insurance and the real fear that it will happen again. Flooding is occurring more often and must be addressed.

Issues arose following the exhibition and on-site inspection, some of which related to landowners and commercial property owners in the area, and it was decided to review the scheme. Following the review it was decided that the technically preferred route should be adhered to, but that did not happen. Once the decision was made, further public consultation and another exhibition were required. The exhibition took place in March of this year. We were told by the Office of Public Works that a complete property owner review would be carried out, interference notice schedules would be prepared by mid-March 2014 and a public exhibition would be held at the end of March 2014. In fairness to the OPW, it adhered to its timetable.

The timetable also specified that confirmation would be obtained by the end of June 2014, a detailed design of works would be ready by mid-July 2014 and on-site work would commence in mid-August 2014. That has not happened and I seek a reason for that from the Minister of State. We were given assurances by the Minister of State’s predecessor, Mr. Brian Hayes, and Mr. Michael Collins of the OPW, who announced the scheme at the then Templemore Town Council in 2011 to the great delight and relief of the people of Templemore. The Minister of State and other senior officials came again following the review in 2013 to re-announce the scheme. They said it was one of five schemes that was going ahead in the country. They were delighted to state at the time that following the review and the option for the technically preferred route, the scheme had reduced from €13.8 million to €8.9 million and that it would go ahead.

Will the Minister of State explain why the then Minister of State and the officials from the OPW told the people of Templemore that the flood relief scheme would go ahead when it did not and that, subsequent to the review, people were again told the scheme would go ahead but it did not? Will the Minister of State outline the reasons for the delay and provide a clear commitment on his behalf and on behalf of the OPW that the scheme will go ahead sooner rather than later?

Simon Harris (Wicklow, Fine Gael)
Link to this: Individually | In context | Oireachtas source

I thank Deputy Coonan for raising the Templemore flood relief scheme today and on a number of occasions during the two and a half months I have been in office. I accept it is a very important issue to him and his constituents. I had an opportunity to meet the Deputy and a number of residents in Templemore prior to my appointment to my current post and I know the importance of the issue for the people of Templemore. Before I outline the detailed response to the question, I wish to make clear that as Minister of State with responsibility for the OPW, I am fully committed, as is the OPW, to the delivery of the Templemore flood relief scheme. The funding is in place and it is a priority project which will be delivered.

I will provide some background, much of which the Deputy outlined, but I will put it on the record.The proposed flood relief scheme works for Templemore include the construction of a new bypass channel, along with road and property access bridges, flood defence walls and embankments, and some channel widening downstream of the town. As Deputy Coonan outlined, the proposals were placed on formal public exhibition from 30 January to 4March 2009. Additional engineering and route complexities arose in relation to a section of a culvert that is a key element of the scheme. Two alternative routes had been identified for this culvert section in the initial design stage of the project. The route which was technically preferred would necessitate the demolition of a commercial premises. While the other route would involve a significant impact on commercial properties, it would not involve permanent closure of the businesses. For that reason, the latter option was chosen and shown in the proposals that were exhibited to the public.

During subsequent investigation, further information and details emerged on the costs associated with the exhibited route, including potential claims for compensation from property owners affected by the works. There was also further clarification on the costs associated with the other, non-exhibited route, involving the closure of a commercial premises. This new information necessitated a full review of the economic rationale for each option involving a detailed analysis of the comparative costs of the two alternatives. The review took account of all likely costs, including construction and site remediation costs, property acquisition costs for the technically preferred route, and compensation to other property owners impacted. Following the review, it was concluded that the technically preferred route should be proceeded with. As that represented a significant change from what was included in the scheme that had been previously exhibited, the proposed alternative route was displayed to the public on 28 March this year, as Deputy Coonan outlined, and it was broadly well received.

In further developing the amended proposals, consideration was given to whether the full flow in the existing channel should be diverted into the bypass channel. For technical reasons it is proposed that the existing channel will continue to carry normal flows and the bypass channel will carry flood flows only. An issue also arose in relation to a combined sewage and storm water overflow pipe in the Church Road area of Templemore which is in the path of the proposed bypass. The OPW is in discussions with Irish Water regarding works necessary to circumvent the pipe. It is expected that this matter will be resolved satisfactorily and that it will not delay progression of the scheme.

The next step is that the amended proposals will be put on formal public exhibition, in accordance with the Arterial Drainage Act 1945. That will take place early in 2015. Any observations received from the public or other stakeholders will be taken into account, as appropriate. Following that, confirmation or statutory approval of the scheme will be sought from my colleague, the Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform. Pending completion of the exhibition and confirmation from the Minister, Deputy Howlin, it is not possible to state definitively what the timeline for delivery of the scheme will be. However, the new scheme will be exhibited early in 2015. The OPW fully recognises the need to implement the scheme for Templemore as a priority. I, personally, and the OPW will do all we can to ensure the scheme commences as soon as possible. To that end, if the scheme is confirmed, the construction work will be carried out by the OPW's direct labour force. The decision will dramatically reduce the time required to commence the project because we will not have to go through a lengthy tendering process, which therefore provides an opportunity to claw back some time.

I can confirm that provision has been made for the Templemore scheme in the OPW's capital budget allocations for flood risk management to 2016. The funding is in place and the scheme is an absolute priority. We must get the scheme exhibited. I am committed to doing everything I can. When I visit Templemore with Deputy Coonan, it will be to unveil the scheme, which will have started at that stage.

Noel Coonan (Tipperary North, Fine Gael)
Link to this: Individually | In context | Oireachtas source

I welcome what the Minister of State has said.

I also welcome the confirmation that the scheme will go ahead and money will be provided but I am worried by the fact that the Minister of State said that statutory approval for the scheme will be sought from the Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform, Deputy Brendan Howlin, after the review. It seems we must get the Minister's assurance that this scheme will proceed. It seems this is third time lucky for Templemore - there have been three exhibitions and three commitments from Ministers and officials at the Office of Public Works, OPW.

The problem is that people with homes in the area continue to suffer and the same goes for outlying areas. The areas most affected include the Blackcastle Road, The Mall and Richmond but other outlying areas like Priory Demesne have experienced serious flooding. Engineers say the matter cannot be solved until a drainage scheme is in place for Templemore.

I put my faith in the Minister of State, Deputy Harris, and I hope he survives long enough to see this through. The onus is on Ministers and OPW officials not to make promises they cannot keep. I hope the OPW will commit to this and see the project through.

Simon Harris (Wicklow, Fine Gael)
Link to this: Individually | In context | Oireachtas source

The Deputy knows I do not make commitments I cannot fulfil so I make today's commitment in this House on the basis of information I received from my officials and on the basis that funding has been provided for the scheme in the OPW capital budget up to 2016. The Deputy is correct that the Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform, Deputy Brendan Howlin, must give consent to this scheme, as I outlined to the House. This is a normal process and consent cannot be sought until the scheme goes through various environmental processes and has been exhibited. As far as the Department of Public Expenditure and Reform is concerned the funding is in place in the OPW budget. The scheme will be delivered by direct labour force and this will enable works to commence more quickly than if the contract and tendering route was taken.

I wish to outline for the record of the House some amendments that have been made to the scheme since it was originally exhibited in 2009. Amendments included the embankments in the Ballyheane bridge area, which will now be constructed by Tipperary County Council in a separate scheme with funding from the OPW, and an alteration of the originally proposed culvert route. Also, the originally exhibited scheme had over 800 metres of closed culvert and the new proposal includes approximately 191 metres of closed culvert with the balance being open channel. The Deputy correctly said that the total cost of the scheme, including construction and various fees, is now €8.9 million, approximately. The next key stage for the scheme is to have it exhibited in early 2015. I will keep in contact with the Deputy on this and I know he will keep the residents of Templemore up to date. The scheme is funded and it is a priority so once it is exhibited I will seek the consent of the Minister, Deputy Howlin, which I expect to receive. The scheme will commence as quickly as possible.