Dáil debates
Wednesday, 8 December 2021
Saincheisteanna Tráthúla - Topical Issue Debate
Flood Risk Management
9:22 am
Verona Murphy (Wexford, Independent)
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I thank the Minister of State for coming in this morning. I know she has a very busy portfolio and this is not her domain. Like my colleagues, Deputies Cairns and Christopher O'Sullivan, I will take up the offer to meet the Minister of State, Deputy O'Donovan.
The Enniscorthy flood defence scheme is a project which has been kicked down the road far too many times in the past ten or 15 years. The minutes of a Wexford County Council meeting in June 2012 outline the plans put forward by the Office of Public Works. Two current Members of this House, the Minister of State at the Department of Justice, Deputy Browne, and Deputy Mythen, were present at the meeting, at which a representative from the OPW noted that Enniscorthy had major tidal issues; that the OPW could estimate the flood at Scarawalsh; that climate change would affect flooding in the town; that the removal of the Seamus Rafter Bridge and construction of a new bridge further downstream, as well as the introduction of glass walls, would be needed; and that the cost to the town if no scheme was put in place would be €66 million, whereas the scheme would cost between €25 million and €40 million.
Since then there have been many false dawns. Every time the river bursts its banks we hear the issue raised again, yet we still have no action. Enniscorthy has no flood defence. The only constants on the topic are local independent councillors Jackser Owens and John O'Rourke, both of whom have asked me to raise this issue. Anyone familiar with the town will know the problems associated with flooding and that many business and homes are located in places that are prone to flooding should the River Slaney burst its banks. There are obvious consequences for the owners from a general damage and disruption point of view, but also from an insurance point of view and for their peace of mind. However, most of them cannot get insurance on their properties.
The experts looking at all aspects of this project have decided that the glass wall system, the removal of the new bridge, deepening and widening of the river and the general improvement of the aesthetics at the quayside is the best plan. What we need to see now is action. The video overview of the plan is very impressive and will transform the quayside in Enniscorthy.
However, since the meeting of June 2012, there has been significant flooding in the town, particularly in 2015. There have been other minor incidents since, which have caused significant damage. A progress report was published about a month ago, on 5 November. It states the project was submitted for review in April 2021. The issue with that is that we have no word on who is reviewing it or how long the review will take. At the end of the day, there are 236 properties affected by the lack of a flood defence in Enniscorthy. It is a significant issue. Today, more than 12,000 people in the town are affected by a boil water notice. There is disarray. This has gone on for far too long. We were promised an answer by the end of 2021. We are three weeks from the end of 2021. When will the review of the scheme be completed and when will the scheme be signed off to go to construction?
Mary Butler (Waterford, Fianna Fail)
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I thank the Deputy for raising this important issue. I hope Enniscorthy did not flood in the last day or two during Storm Barra. We have experienced flooding far too often, especially due to the various climate challenges we face.
I thank the Deputy for her question in regard to the much-needed Enniscorthy flood relief scheme.
The Enniscorthy, River Slaney, flood defence scheme is being proposed by Wexford County Council, on behalf of the Office of Public Works, as a scheme under the Arterial Drainage Acts 1945 and 1995. This is a significant scheme within the €1.3 billion flood relief investment programme of the Office of Public Works nationally, as part of the national development plan from 2018 to 2030, from which the relevant funding for the Enniscorthy scheme will be made available. On completion, the scheme will protect 236 properties in the town, as the Deputy has mentioned.
The proposed scheme includes river channel widening, river deepening, bridge relocation and the construction of extensive glass panelled flood walls through the town. The estimated total project budget will be approximately €51 million when other costs such as fees, site investigation works, environmental mitigation, VAT, property-landowner compensation and future maintenance costs are taken into consideration.
The scheme is going through the confirmation process under the Arterial Drainage Acts, following submission to the Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform for assessment in mid-2020. It is important to note that under section 7E of the European Union (Environmental Impact Assessment) (Arterial Drainage) Regulations 2019, the Minister can "(a) make an order confirming the scheme; (b) refuse to confirm the scheme; or (c) refer the scheme back to the Commissioners for revision in specified respects".
There is a statutory obligation incumbent upon the Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform to ensure that all aspects of complex legal and environmental compliance issues are satisfactorily resolved before a decision can be made on the Enniscorthy scheme, on the basis of the options available to him. The Department of Public Expenditure and Reform is currently awaiting finalised reports and recommendations from the expert environmental consultants on this matter before making a determination. A decision on the Enniscorthy flood relief scheme, as per the three options available to the Minister, will be made at the earliest possible opportunity.
As for the question posed by the Deputy, subject to ministerial confirmation it is hoped that construction will commence in 2022 with an estimated construction period in excess of three years. Another question is whether the funding is secured. The OPW has made provision for the full scheme costs in its multi-annual budget projects and remains committed to progression of the project. In terms of the land acquisition, the vast majority of works will be completed on lands owned by Wexford County Council. Other landowners impacted by the scheme have been consulted and are fully aware of access or purchase elements that may affect their properties. There are no major obstacles expected in this regard.
9:32 am
Verona Murphy (Wexford, Independent)
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I thank the Minister of State. As she will appreciate, most of what she has told me I already know and the people already know. The question that people are asking is as follows. Why is it taking so long?
The reality is that 236 properties are affected. All of the stakeholders that were engaged in the discussion, such as Irish Rail and property owners, are all aware. They are all in agreement and are all ready to sign legal agreements post confirmation that this project is going ahead. As far as I can see, there seems to be only one Department delaying this whole project. Nothing has been asked for since April 2021. At every council meeting that I attend at Enniscorthy district level, this project comes up. The Independent councillors bring it up only to be told by the party councillors that there is nothing to ask for and nothing to see yet, since April, there has been no level of constructive engagement to move this project along.
The Minister of State has said that it is hoped to commence construction in 2022. How is that even possible or conceivable at this point when we do not know if the project is going to be signed off on and we do not know if the funds are in place? Yes, the funds are accounted for by the OPW and you can see that over 12 years, the costs have risen to €51 million. The longer this project is delayed, as the Minister of State will appreciate and we all know now, and the longer we leave things then we will need to do another review. There is more public moneys spent and more taxpayers' moneys wasted each time we delay and another environmental study has to be carried out.
I ask the Minister of State, on behalf of the people of Enniscorthy, to ask the Minister to have this project signed off by December 2021 or to give a serious clarification as to why that is not going to happen.
Mary Butler (Waterford, Fianna Fail)
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I understand the importance of this project. Enniscorthy has a long history of flooding. Following the extreme flood event that occurred in 2000, the Office of Public Works, in conjunction with Wexford County Council, undertook a study of the flooding problems in the town so it is not that it is a unique situation. I come from Waterford and the Deputy is well familiar with the glass wall defences on the city quay. The difference that they have made is unbelievable. I can remember the quay flooding and sandbags stacked in front of shops. Since those flood defences have been put in place there has been a massive difference.
If the Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform confirms the scheme, then the tender for the new bridge construction will be advanced first, and the Deputy obviously knows that. Following contract or appointment the bridge works will be the first major element commenced with flood defence works along the river commencing thereafter and running in parallel. Enabling works involving service diversions are expected to commence in the coming months.
Turning to the query on foreshore licences in the original question, I have been advised that the foreshore consent application process is being managed by the Department of Housing, Local Government and Heritage. The public consultation process is complete and the foreshore consent documentation has been referred to the marine licence vetting committee for assessment. The documentation is currently being assessed by independent environmental consultants.
Finally, I wish to acknowledge the huge amount of work that the Office of Public Works, Wexford County Council and their consultants have put into the development of this important scheme. I hope that we will see the progression of flood defence works in Enniscorthy at the earliest possible opportunity. I will convey the thoughts and concerns of the Deputy to the Minister, and I thank her for her time.