Cathal Crowe (Clare, Fianna Fail)
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14. To ask the Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform if he will provide an overview of OPW drainage, flood protection and coastal erosion defence works that are planned to be undertaken in County Clare in 2025; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [39855/25]

Cathal Crowe (Clare, Fianna Fail)
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I thank the Minister of State for taking this question. I would like to know what plans the OPW has for drainage, flood protection and coastal erosion defences in County Clare this year.

Kevin Moran (Longford-Westmeath, Independent)
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The OPW and Clare County Council have an extensive programme of flood risk management works across Clare during 2025. Clare County Council is currently leading the delivery of flood relief schemes in County Clare in the townlands of Springfield, Kilkee and Shannon, Bunratty and Kilrush. These schemes are funded by the OPW from the Government's €1.3 billion investment in flood measures under the national development plan to 2030. Construction of the €5.2 million Springfield flood relief scheme to protect 21 properties is nearing completion. The completion of this scheme is being informed by the groundwater report.

The €8.5 million Kilkee flood relief scheme to protect 134 properties was submitted for planning during 2024 and detailed design for the construction of the scheme is being progressed. Work to finalise the design of the Shannon flood relief scheme to protect 1,400 properties is continuing and the scheme option is scheduled to be submitted for planning approval in quarter 2 2026. The OPW is working with Clare County Council on potential flow path in Bunratty, which may increase the knowledge of the flood risk in this area to inform the feasibility study of the scheme. Clare County Council is finalising tender documents for technical consultancy services for the Kilrush flood relief scheme and plans to issue these later this year.

Since 2009, the OPW has approved funding under the minor flood mitigation works and coastal protection scheme of €3.8 million to County Clare for some 42 projects. Clare County Council proposes to carry out coastal minor works as part of the 2025 programme at Aughinish Island, north Clare, Marine Parade, Kilkee and Ballynacally, Newmarket-on-Fergus. The works include underpinning and strengthening of the existing sea walls and reinforcement of existing earthen embankments. Clare County Council has also appointed consultants to carry out a condition survey and performance upgrade options review of the tidal barrage at Clarecastle. Non-coastal works at Gullet Cross and Mountcashel are also due to be carried out in 2025.

Cathal Crowe (Clare, Fianna Fail)
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I thank the Minister of State. There is a lot of positive stuff happening in the county. I will bring the Minister of State back a bit to the Arterial Drainage Act 1945. Neither of us was around at that time but some guru decided that different watercourses would be divvied up between the Board of Works, now the OPW, and local authorities. The River Inagh in north Clare comes under the jurisdiction of Clare County Council. Its budget for managing that watercourse and river is minuscule. It does not have the diggers or the heavy machinery, such as the long reach diggers the Minister of State and I are very familiar with, that can clear out all the silt. It has none of that.

The OPW gets approximately 90% of the budget with 10% going to local authorities, yet the latter are expected to manage rivers like the River Inagh with few resources. I ask the Minister of State to consider recategorising that river. Surely in this day and age, with climate change and everything that has caused, the 1945 legislation needs to be revised.

Kevin Moran (Longford-Westmeath, Independent)
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I could not agree more. As the Deputy said, there is a lot of good and positive stuff happening in County Clare. The Department is working closely with the local authority on the local drainage scheme and it is supported by the Government, which is very important. I am looking closely at the issue the Deputy spoke about. I am looking at vegetation clearing, getting into the rivers and working with the local authorities. I hope to have good news on that in the near future. I have been working closely with local authorities and elected representatives up and down the country all of which face the same problem. They tell me that when the rivers are never cleaned and this is not done when flooding occurs. However, it means working with the local authorities and we also have to comply with environmental rules. I am working on that and will hopefully have good news in the near future for the local authorities.

Cathal Crowe (Clare, Fianna Fail)
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Before the Minister of State was appointed, his name was synonymous with communities fighting back against flooding. He has done stellar work in and out of politics on that. For many people in these areas, insurance is still impossible to get. The term "risk equalisation" is used when applying for health insurance. It means that all people of all ages pay a little bit of a premium so that risk is balanced across older and younger people. The same principle is now being applied by the insurance industry to homes. Between 12,000 and 13,000 homes in the south Clare area cannot get flood insurance cover. Not a week goes by in my office that we do not have to write letters of comfort, which is ludicrous. What does a letter of comfort from a TD really mean? We need to have this fully nailed down by the OPW and the Government so that if there are flood defences or an area has not flooded, the principle of risk equalisation is applied and families are given insurance cover.

A lot of property sales are falling through because once the conveyancing is done, banks will not lend capital if they see that the applicant cannot get flood insurance cover. The Government needs to take that practice to task.

Kevin Moran (Longford-Westmeath, Independent)
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I could not agree more with the Deputy on insurance. My job is to protect communities up and down the country. My officials and I hope to meet the Minister of State, Deputy Troy, on this. The Government is very much focused on this issue and we understand it. I get it, the same as the Deputy gets it. I get requests to write letters of comfort as well and I wonder what it is all about. My Department has spoken with the Minister of State's Department. We are working closely on this to see if we can deliver something.