Dara Calleary (Mayo, Fianna Fail)
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93. To ask the Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform the position regarding the flood alleviation scheme for Crossmolina, County Mayo. [36650/20]

Dara Calleary (Mayo, Fianna Fail)
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Five years ago last weekend, the town of Crossmolina suffered a major flooding event. We were told it was a one in 100 year event. Three weeks later, the town was utterly destroyed in the Storm Desmond flooding event. I know a great deal of work has been done on the flood scheme since then but I want to know where it is at and when we can give certainty to the people of Crossmolina.

Patrick O'Donovan (Limerick County, Fine Gael)
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I thank the Deputy for raising this issue relating to the Crossmolina flood relief scheme as I know it is an issue that he has raised previously. I wish to advise that the OPW has submitted the scheme, along with the required environmental assessments, to the Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform for confirmation.

The scheme to be constructed includes a new grass-lined diversion channel; a new reinforced concrete intake structure and spillway on the banks of the River Deel at the upstream end of the channel; a new river flow control structure downstream of the intake structure; an earthen embankment; two new road bridges; and realignment of the Lake Road.

The scheme requires formal confirmation from the Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform to proceed. This is a statutory requirement under the Arterial Drainage Acts, which now, under the recent European Union (Environmental Impact Assessment) (Arterial Drainage) Regulations 2019, also requires the Minister to carry out an environmental impact assessment, EIA, of the proposed scheme, which is separate from the OPW. This will involve, among other things, a formal review by the Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform of the EIA report, along with a Natura impact statement as part of the formal confirmation process.

To assist the Minister in making an informed decision to confirm the scheme, the EIA will require, under the 2019 regulations, a public consultation for a period of 30 days, and a detailed independent technical review of the scheme, the EIA and the Natura impact statement, by environmental consultants appointed by the Minister. I am advised that the current position on the confirmation process is that a request for tender of services for environmental consultants is currently being progressed by the Department. The public consultation phase is also due to be commenced by the Department shortly.  The Department will progress the formal confirmation process, having due regard to the detailed requirements of the 2019 regulations.

There is always a possibility that further information and revision of the scheme’s design may be required, as provided for under the confirmation process and, therefore, it is impossible at this stage to give a specific date for the commencement of the works, which I know is a cause of frustration to the Deputy and others. 

The project team has launched a new website where all scheme updates will be posted as they arise. Any further information that I can provide to the Deputy, I will provide in due course.

Dara Calleary (Mayo, Fianna Fail)
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I thank the Minister of State for the detailed reply. He has added many complications that were not previously advised. We were given timelines. I acknowledge the work of the former Minister of State, Kevin Boxer Moran, to move this project on and also the work of Councillor Michael Loftus from the Crossmolina flood action group. Since 1989, there has been four what were called "one in 100 year flood events." People in Crossmolina will spend from this weekend until next April or May with sleepless nights, watching waterlevel.ie. Every time there is a flood warning, they will worry for their houses, their business, their livelihoods and their health. This scheme has been beset with delays previously, including environmental delays. I also acknowledge the work of the local OPW team based in Ballina, which have moved this on as well. We cannot allow another winter to pass without giving some indication that this scheme will move to construction. This is a €13.5 million scheme in respect of which the OPW is going to carry out the work. I ask the Minister to take on board what the Minister of State said in terms of this being on his desk.

Patrick O'Donovan (Limerick County, Fine Gael)
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I thank the Deputy. To be fair, I have not added any new complications that were not previously advised. It would not be a fair reflection on the response that has been given either. I share his frustration. We are equally frustrated by the lengthy time that these things take but they have always taken time to address. It is terrible whether it is in Cloonlara or Springfield in County Clare, Bantry, Cork city or any of the towns in Wexford. As I said earlier in response to a previous question, we had a debate in the House last week on where this country needs to get to in respect of flood management, flood delivery and flood mitigation. At the moment, climate change is running faster than the process is changing. We need to have a long adult-like conversation in this country on the timeframe for the delivery of major infrastructural projects of this nature. The difficulties to which the Deputy alluded are nothing compared to the difficulties that will be encountered when we come to coastal erosion and coastal flooding. Any support that the Deputy can give me and my Department in regard to ameliorating those delays would be welcomed.

Dara Calleary (Mayo, Fianna Fail)
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I am happy to give the Minister of State my support. I do not mean any blight on his response. I am expressing the anger and frustration that will be felt tonight in households across Crossmolina as they look at rising tides and they face into another winter of worry and stress and of not knowing if they will wake up in the morning to feet of water in their houses. We need to move this on. I ask the Minister, Deputy Michael McGrath, to also push this on in the Department. We need, once and for all, to give the people of Crossmolina a bit of decency and peace as they live their lives.

Patrick O'Donovan (Limerick County, Fine Gael)
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It goes without saying that the OPW knows the people of Crossmolina very well. They have dealt with them over a lengthy period in terms of the development of this scheme and would know at official level, through the local design team that has been in place, what has been endured by the people of Crossmolina and every other town that has flooded. I am being honest in the House tonight. Whatever has been said in the House previously regarding indicative dates, I will not do that because those dates will not, in many cases, be met and then the Deputy and other Members will be in here looking to lynch me over dates not being met. I will not do that because that is not fair to the people of Crossmolina, Cork, Cloonlara, towns in Wexford, Bantry or any of the other towns that are facing the reality of flooding. As I said, a difficult conversation has to be had in this country fairly soon in regard to the advent of climate change and the impact it is having on our ability as a country to protect people from flooding. The sooner we do that, we will do a greater service to the people of Crossmolina and every other town in the country in danger of flooding.