Pearse Doherty (Donegal, Sinn Fein)
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9. To ask the Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform the status of the catchment flood risk management plan for Donegal town; the progress on the implementation of same that has been made to date; the funding that has been allocated to the scheme to date; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [2555/22]

Pearse Doherty (Donegal, Sinn Fein)
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I have previously asked the Minister of State about the issue of flood defences in County Donegal through parliamentary questions and when he has appeared before committee meetings. He has acknowledged that works in Donegal town were being planned but stated that the "project for Donegal town is not in the first phase of projects to be progressed" and that "the OPW and [Donegal County Council], DCC, are working closely to ensure that it will be commenced as early as possible in the current programme". What is the update on Donegal town? Many Ministers have made promises and visited the area. At what stage are the works now?

Patrick O'Donovan (Limerick County, Fine Gael)
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I am advised by the Office of Public Works that a major flood relief scheme for Donegal town was identified in the flood risk management plans for the north-western river basin. The proposed project, at a preliminary cost estimate of €8.5 million, consists of floodwater storage and a series of flood embankments and walls, which will provide flood protection to approximately 73 properties when completed. The flood scheme will be funded through the Government's €1.3 billion allocation for flood risk management, funded through the national development plan up to 2030.

While the proposed project to which Deputy Doherty refers, and to which I have alluded in my committee appearances, is not part of the first phase of projects to be progressed, the Office of Public Works and Donegal County Council are working closely with the intention of delivering the scheme within the timeframe of the current national development plan, subject to no external and unforeseen challenges, which, unfortunately, do arise, for example, through the planning process. The Office of Public Works works closely with its local authority delivery partners at all times to strive to expedite and progress capital relief works with the minimum delay within the resources available to it.

Once consultants are appointed to progress this scheme, consultation with statutory and non-statutory bodies as well as the general public will take place at the appropriate stages to ensure all parties have the opportunity to input into the development of the scheme.

In addition, the Office of Public Works minor flood mitigation works and coastal protection scheme provides funding to local authorities to undertake minor flood mitigation or coastal protection works or studies costing less than €750,000 each to address localised flooding in individual areas. In 2019, funding to Donegal County Council amounting to €369,000 was provided for a scheme in Donegal town. The works include upgrade works to walls along the riverbank, installation of three large-diameter non-return valves, replacement of the existing culvert, removal of overhanging trees from the riverbanks and associated works. These works are being progressed by Donegal County Council.

As the Deputy will be aware, 15 projects were identified in County Donegal under the flood risk management plans announced in 2018. Following consultation and discussions between the Office of Public Works and Donegal County Council, six of the projects were selected and are being progressed in the first phase of implementation in addition to a project already being progressed for Raphoe.

Pearse Doherty (Donegal, Sinn Fein)
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Donegal town needs to be moved into phase 1. It is located in the mouth of the estuary where the River Eske meets the Atlantic Ocean at Donegal Bay. It is an absolutely breathtaking place but, unfortunately, is susceptible to all types of flooding. In the past we have seen flooding from rivers overtopping, flash flooding and flooding from high tides and storm surges. There have been a number of devastating events in Donegal town since 2019, in the aftermath of Storm Abigail and Storm Desmond in the winter of 2015 as well as Storm Lorenzo in 2019, and only for the Trojan work of council staff during Storm Barra at the end of 2021 we could have seen further devastation. Donegal County Council has predicted that over 70 properties in the area, both residential and commercial, are at risk. Residents in Clarendon Drive, Brookfield and New Row live in fear of new downpours and storm surges. What is the timeframe for delivery of this project? The end of the programme is 2030 and these residents cannot wait, hoping that it will not rain or that the seas will not rise and that they will not be visited by this devastation again.

Patrick O'Donovan (Limerick County, Fine Gael)
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In the immediate aftermath of Storm Barra, I met the commissioners and chairman of the Office of Public Works and senior officials on a regionalised basis, dealing not only with the north west but with all our regions, to see if we could expedite those projects not currently in tranche 1. We have an issue in that, unfortunately, some of our projects are logjammed in judicial reviews, court challenges and a pile of other delays outside our control and the control of our local authority partners. It is a matter of trying to see if we can expedite some of the projects in tranche 2 and other tranches. The Office of Public Works engineering staff, together with our local authority colleagues, are working to see if we can do that, but we have a limited number of personnel and finite resources to do so. It is not that we are in any way holding back anything; we are animating as many projects as we can. It is my intention, as soon as I can in the coming weeks, to visit County Donegal and meet officials from Donegal County Council to discuss not just Donegal town but the other projects we are progressing through the CFRAM projects to see how they are progressing and to see the investment of the Office of Public Works. I hope to be in a position to give a fuller timeframe in respect of Donegal town and the other CFRAM projects at that stage.

Pearse Doherty (Donegal, Sinn Fein)
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I am aware of some of the projects being held up that are outside of the Department's control but, as the Minister of State said, that provides an opportunity to move this scheme into phase 1. If it is possible to move the scheme into phase 1, is the Minister of State willing to do so? He mentioned that he hopes to go to Donegal. I welcome that. The local councillors, if they have not already done so, will in the coming days invite him to Donegal town to meet with them and the residents again and hear about the huge risk to residents and commercial property. Crucially, if there is a way to expedite this project, and if the engineers on the ground come up with a plan to do so, is the Minister of State willing to look at moving this project into phase 1?

Patrick O'Donovan (Limerick County, Fine Gael)
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I said in answer to an earlier priority question from Deputy Cairns from Cork South-West that we do not have the capacity, capability or even legal standing to move projects any faster because we are a party to planning processes. If we were to decide to try to gazump the planning process, people inside and outside this House would be looking to try to get us into the Four Courts. We have to move flood risk management processes through a sequential process. We are conscious of the risk to Donegal town and to all the other communities in County Donegal. I am conscious of the scourge of flooding in Deputy Doherty's county, as I am of the scourge of flooding in every county. We are trying to alleviate it as quickly as we can, but we have to do so on the basis that we know there are people out there who would be only too happy to get us into the High Court, injunct us and seek judicial review.

I commit to the Deputy that I will go to Donegal in the coming weeks. When I do so, I will let him and all the other Oireachtas Members representing Donegal know. I will work with Donegal County Council to arrange a time for my visit to see the progress of those schemes. We will try to make as full a visit as possible to the county.