Colm Burke (Cork North-Central, Fine Gael)
Link to this: Individually | In context

I am raising again the Blackpool flood relief scheme. We had three major floods there in 2010, 2012 and 2013. A decision was taken that a flood relief scheme would be put in place to make sure that the buildings in the area would not be adversely affected by a future increase in rainfall. Some 293 properties were previously adversely affected - 206 of them residential and 87 commercial. The announcement was made in 2018 that the scheme would proceed. It went from the OPW to the Department of public expenditure. A decision was taken that the scheme would go ahead in March 2021. There was a judicial review and four years later nothing has been completed. Between 2022 and 2024 an environmental study was produced by the OPW, which went to the Department of public expenditure. Unfortunately, when action was eventually taken on the report, the report was out of date and we were back to the drawing board with a need to do a new report. My understanding is that a new report has been obtained by the OPW, which it has forwarded to the Department of public expenditure. I do not want to have a repeat of what happened between 2022 and 2024 when a report was left on someone's desk with no action being taken.

It is 15 years since the first major flooding and nothing has been done. Where are we with regard to pressing ahead with the flood relief programme for Blackpool? It is an old part of the city where there are huge problems with properties in that banks will not make finance available to purchasers because they are unable to get insurance to protect against flooding. One property owner who has run a business in the Blackpool area for more than 40 years wants to retire. He has put the property up for sale on a number of occasions. On two separate occasions a purchaser had signed contracts and then they run into difficulties getting finance to proceed with the purchase. As a result, the sale of the property collapsed. It appears that anyone who wants to buy a property in Blackpool must be a cash purchaser because the banks will not lend money to people who want to buy and improve the area. This is an old part of the city, which is becoming derelict as a result of the scheme not being put in place. Could the Minister of State outline the timescale for the Department to sign off on the scheme for Blackpool, the time it will take to carry out the public consultation, if that is required and the time required prior to inviting tenders so that these works can proceed? It is one of the longest awaited schemes by the OPW and the Department of public expenditure and I want to see progress on it in 2025.

Charlie McConalogue (Donegal, Fianna Fail)
Link to this: Individually | In context

I thank the Deputy for raising this matter. It is something he has been relentlessly pursuing to ensure it progresses. I confirm that the Department has received supplementary information from the OPW following a request made under section 7B(4) of the European Union (Environmental Impact Assessment) (Arterial Drainage) Regulations 2019. The Department is making arrangements for a public consultation to be held on the supplementary information received to date. Details of this consultation will be made available in due course on the Department's website.

The Deputy will also be aware that ministerial consent for this scheme was provided in early 2021 but was subsequently overturned by a judicial review challenge taken by a local community group. The Department has since sought legal advice and taken measures to ensure the consent process complies with relevant national and EU environment law in order to account for the issues raised during the judicial review process. On foot of legal advice received by the Department and the recommendations of its retained environmental consultants, the Minister sought supplementary information from the Office of Public Works on the environmental impacts of the scheme. This request was made in February 2022, with the OPW supplying this information to the Minister in October of that year.

Following an examination of the environmental reports and supplementary information provided, and acting on the advice of independent environmental experts, the Minister sought further supplementary information from the OPW in November 2023. The OPW submitted the supplementary information to him on 17 April 2025. All supplementary information received by him will be made available for public consultation and details of this consultation will be made available on the Department's website.

Colm Burke (Cork North-Central, Fine Gael)
Link to this: Individually | In context

I very much appreciate the work being done by officials in both the OPW and the Department of public expenditure, but there is frustration. As someone who comes from a legal background, I fully understand the dangers of rushing any decision and taking short cuts. Therefore, it is important in this case that the t's are crossed and the i's are dotted. I urge that the public consultation process proceeds at the earliest possible date because there are people who are very supportive of this project. I accept that people will challenge it again. It is their constitutional right to do so. We want to get on with the public consultation. The Department has the report. We must have the public consultation at the earliest possible date so that we can then proceed to the next stage when it has taken place.

It is not just about the public consultation but about getting information out on the advantage to the area of carrying out this work and making sure that properties and families are no longer in danger of a major flood occurring in the area. It can be seen in photographs from 2010 that there was up to 1.5 m of water in commercial premises and houses. It is a frightening experience for a business or family to have to deal with and therefore it is important that this scheme proceeds at the earliest possible date. Let us hold the public consultation, get on to the next step and engage with the contractors to get the scheme up and running. The scheme itself will take at least three years to complete. It will cause major disruption so it is important that it is planned very carefully and well by everyone involved.

Charlie McConalogue (Donegal, Fianna Fail)
Link to this: Individually | In context

I thank the Deputy for raising the matter again here this evening and for his continued advocacy on progressing the scheme. While the delays in the delivery of the scheme are a source of frustration for the Deputy's constituents and all in Blackpool, as he is aware it is imperative that the consent process progresses in a manner that is compliant with the relevant regulations. In the period since the original consent decision was overturned following the judicial review challenge, the Department has undertaken a number of measures to ensure the process is in compliance with the regulatory environment.

This has necessitated the requesting of supplementary information from the OPW in order to ensure that the Minister can reach a reasoned conclusion regarding the anticipated environmental impacts of the proposed scheme. This process has been informed at all stages by expert legal and environmental advice with a view to ensuring the process is sufficiently robust in the event of any future challenges that may brought. I encourage all those within the locality who have views on the environmental impacts of this scheme to participate in the public consultation process when it is opened by the Department.

I will relay to the Minister and the Department Deputy Burke's call for an urgent move forward in terms of getting to that consultation and beyond. I know the stress that can be associated with past flooding experiences, the dread that comes with what might happen in the future and the sense of urgency in terms of being able to put mitigation measures in place that can protect communities against that. I understand, therefore, the importance of seeing this process expedited and moved on. I will take his views on behalf of his constituents regarding the importance of moving on with this process and having a consultation commence as quickly possible and relay them strongly to the Minister and the Department.

Colm Burke (Cork North-Central, Fine Gael)
Link to this: Individually | In context

The Government is getting €14 billion from Apple computers in my constituency. I would like it if some of that were spent in my constituency and not all of it outside of the constituency. The Blackpool flood relief scheme is one of the priorities that I want dealt with.