Dáil debates
Thursday, 18 January 2018
Ceisteanna - Questions - Priority Questions
Flood Relief Schemes Status
11:40 am
Dara Calleary (Mayo, Fianna Fail)
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17. To ask the Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform the status of the flooding projects undertaken in 2017; the status of the projects planned for 2018; the position regarding CFRAM; if his Department has a role in ensuring insurance companies process storm damage claims in a timely manner; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [2340/18]
Dara Calleary (Mayo, Fianna Fail)
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We had a short discussion prior to Christmas about catchment flood risk assessment and management, CFRAM, and insurance. I know the Minister and his yellow jacket have been on tour around the country, along with various Fine Gael Ministers, since then. Where are we on the CFRAM issue? I understand the Minister is planning some big announcements in the next while. Where are we with insurance companies, in particular concerning the events in Galway and other places over Christmas? Insurance companies are continuing to use the CFRAM consultation maps to exclude people from insurance claims around the country.
Kevin Moran (Longford-Westmeath, Independent)
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The following tables set out the position on major flood relief schemes, that is, those that were at construction in 2017 and those that will be at construction stage in 2018.
Table 1 (Schemes at construction in 2017)
| Scheme | Status |
|---|---|
| Athlone, Co Westmeath | At construction since 2017; expected completion end of 2020 |
| Bandon, Co Cork | Construction ongoing; expected completion second half 2019 |
| Bellurgan, Co Louth | Commenced construction in 2017; expected completion 2018 |
| Bray, Co Wicklow | Construction completed in 2017 |
| Claregalway, Co Galway | Construction ongoing; expected completion by end 2018 |
| River Dodder, Dublin | Construction ongoing; expected completion by end of 2018 |
| Dunkellin River, Co Galway | Construction ongoing; expected completion early 2019 |
| Ennis Lower, Co Clare | Construction ongoing; expected completion by end of 2018 |
| Foynes, Co Limerick | Construction completed in 2017 |
| Limerick City, King’s Island advance contract at Verdant Place | Advance contract completed. Construction on main scheme likely in 2019 |
| Northlands, Co Meath | Substantially completed at end 2017 |
| Skibbereen, Co Cork | Construction ongoing; expected completion by mid 2019 |
| South Campshires, Dublin | Substantially completed at end 2017 |
| Templemore, Co Tipperary | At construction since 2017; expected completion by end 2020 |
Table 2 (Schemes at construction/likely to be at construction in 2018)
| Scheme | Status |
|---|---|
| Athlone, Co Westmeath | Ongoing construction; expected completion by end 2020 |
| Bandon, Co Cork | Ongoing construction; expected completion second half 2019 |
| Bellurgan, Co Louth | Construction to be completed in 2018 |
| Blackpool, Cork | Construction to commence second half of 2018; expected completion by end 2020 |
| Claregalway, Co Galway | Ongoing construction; expected completion by end 2018 |
| Clonakilty, Co Cork | Construction to commence in first half of 2018; expected completion by end 2020 |
| River Dodder, Dublin | Ongoing construction; expected completion by end 2018 |
| Douglas, Cork | Construction to commence in second half of 2018; expected completion by end 2020 |
| Dunkellin River, Co Galway | Ongoing construction; expected completion in early 2019 |
| Ennis Lower, Co Clare | Ongoing construction; expected completion by end 2018 |
| Ennis South, Co Clare | Construction to commence in first half of 2018; expected completion by end 2019 |
| Glashaboy, Co Cork | Construction to commence in second half of 2018; expected completion by end 2020 |
| Lower Lee (Morrisons’ Island) Cork City | Construction to commence in second half of 2018; expected completion in 2024 |
| Lower Morrell, Co Kildare | Construction to commence in first half of 2018; expected completion in mid 2021 |
| Sandymount (Phase 1), Dublin | Construction to commence in first half of 2018; expected completion in mid 2019 |
| Skibbereen, Co Cork | Ongoing construction; expected completion by mid 2019 |
| Templemore, Co Tipperary | Ongoing construction; expected completion by end 2020 |
The Deputy has raised this question a number of times, so I will outline the good work that has been done by my Department by naming the schemes for the House today. Schemes are in place in County Cork, County Louth, County Wicklow, County Galway, County Dublin, County Clare, County Limerick, Limerick city, County Meath, County Tipperary, County Westmeath, Cork city and County Kildare.
In addition to the above projects, under the existing programme of capital flood relief works, a further 18 schemes are at various stages of design and planning and will be brought forward to construction over the coming years.
In addition to the major schemes, the OPW provides funding to local authorities to carry out minor flood mitigation and coastal erosion works, with 60 projects being completed in 2017. The 29 flood risk management plans developed under the CFRAM programme are undergoing an independent review of the strategic environmental assessments, SEAs, by the Minister for Finance and Public Expenditure and Reform. Once this independent review of all SEAs is completed and observations addressed, I hope in the coming weeks to seek the formal approval from the Minister for Finance and Public Expenditure and Reform for the plans. A number of the proposed structural measures included in the plans will be progressed to detailed project level review and design on a priority basis during 2018.
The OPW has no role in the oversight of insurance companies or their commercial operations but does exchange information with the insurance industry on completed flood defence schemes, in line with the agreed memorandum of understanding with Insurance Ireland, the representative body for the insurance industry. To date, the OPW has provided details to Insurance Ireland on 18 completed schemes nationally and Insurance Ireland surveys its members to ascertain the extent to which flood insurance cover is available in these areas. The results of the most recent survey indicated that 83% of property insurance policies in these areas include cover against flood risk. We are making significant progress on insurance.
11:50 am
Dara Calleary (Mayo, Fianna Fail)
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I am delighted that the Minister of State had the opportunity to name into the record all the counties to which he has travelled in recent weeks. On his last point, it is correct that people are being offered cover but it is at unsustainable rates for the customer. Those maps are being used to charge premiums that are unfair and unaffordable in many cases.
Does the Minister of State have a timeline for the independent review being carried out by the Minister for Finance and for Public Expenditure and Reform, who is sitting two seats away from the Minister of State and who is his Minister on this matter? Will we have it by February? Will it feature implications for the capital plan?
Declan Breathnach (Louth, Fianna Fail)
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Deputy Niall Collins has a supplementary question and we will take them together.
Niall Collins (Limerick County, Fianna Fail)
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I wish to raise an issue in my own constituency with which the Minister of State will be well aware, namely, the property of Mr. Eamon Roche in Abbeyfeale which is likely to be washed away due to the erosion of the riverbank at the River Feale. I want to make the Minister of State aware that another public meeting was held this week and there is much concern over what will happen on this. The Minister of State has had extensive engagement on the matter, to be fair to him and his Department, but it seems as though everyone is running for cover while in the meantime this man's house will be literally washed down the river. Is the Minister of State in any position to give us an update or provide any comfort to Mr. Roche and his family given the perilous situation in which they have found themselves?
Kevin Moran (Longford-Westmeath, Independent)
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The answer to Deputy Calleary's question is that the review of CFRAM will be announced in a few weeks. On the Deputy's question about flood maps, I can assure him that the CFRAM maps are not being used by Insurance Ireland and I will not allow it to do so. They are done on a regional basis, not on a house-to-house basis. If Insurance Ireland is using maps, it is using its own and not of CFRAM.
On the situation in Abbeyfeale, many Deputies have raised this issue, including the Minister of State, Deputy O'Donovan, who has left the Chamber. I have met the local authority. This is not a flooding issue. It lies solely with the local authority and the developer in question. The house was not flooded. Part of the embankment and the supports that were set up to support the house have been taken away into the river. I received some angry exchanges over Christmas from certain quarters in the area. I am not responsible for the particular matter which is a matter for the local authority and the Department of Housing, Planning and Local Government, which has full responsibility. They are responsible, not my Department.