Michelle Mulherin (Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

The Minister of State is very welcome to the Chamber. I compliment him on his work in the area of flood defences and the gusto which he brings to the position.

It is very welcome that the recent national development plan allocates €1 billion, increased from €430 million, to tackling this issue. Members will have to repeatedly visit the Minister of State or his Department as we face the fall-out from and implications of climate change in terms of trying to guard our built and natural environments from the devastation that flooding can cause. It is important that the funds be available but we must also drive forward projects such as catchment flood risk assessment and management, CFRAM, programmes and projects listed as qualifying and eligible for flood defences or that have been identified as such. There are a couple of areas we have discussed many times before but on which I wish to ask for an update.

I wish to raise the issue of flooding in Ballina. The affected area is an older part of the town and has experienced more frequent flooding in recent years. Contrary to media reports that this problem affects development that took place during the Celtic tiger era, most areas of Mayo that experience flooding have not done so previously or as regularly. In Ballina, because part of the river is tidal, pumps are at the ready on the bank of the River Moy, almost central to the town, whenever there is a high tide. If there is a lot of surface run-off, heavy rain and a high tide, houses on Bachelor's Walk and in the surrounding area that were previously flooded are again in danger. The pumps are often in place.

I am aware that the CFRAM programme there has been completed and I warmly welcome that the Ballina proposition or solution has been deemed to be economically viable such that we can expect flood defences to be built. I wish to ask the Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform, Deputy Donohoe, to update us on the status of the project. His Department is considering the Ballina programme with a view to prioritisation but the water is seeping through the riverbank wall, which is porous and has been there for a few centuries, and that urgently needs to be progressed. I suggest that Ballina be given priority. The pump is a regular feature in front of people's houses. Something must be done to progress the project and ensure the flood defences, including the flood wall, are built as soon as possible. I ask the Minister of State for an update in that regard and to respond to the points I have made.

I welcome the options report which suggests that a diversionary channel be placed upstream from Crossmolina, between it and Nephin. However, this is an area in which we must press on and conclude public consultation because, although people there may not feel fortunate in this respect, Crossmolina is listed as one of the towns that will benefit from the money and its position is more clear cut.

As regards coastal erosion, I acknowledge that the Minister of State mentioned agricultural land and drainage works being carried out but the reality on the west coast of Mayo is that farmers' agricultural lands are often taken by the sea during big storms and debris from the sea is thrown significant distances of up to a couple of hundred metres inland. In my area, there is an issue near Lacken Pier involving a public road which runs along a cliff edge and is being eroded away. The council is seeking a solution. One will soon be unable to access the pier unless something is done to address the undercutting of the road by the sea. It seems that the issue is being batted from the OPW to the Department of Transport, Tourism and Sport. I ask the Minister of State to give particular consideration to what can be done in regard to Lacken Pier because it is a piece of public roads infrastructure and if something is not done there will be no road for people to access the pier.