Deirdre Clune (Fine Gael)
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I thank the Minister of State for coming to the House to respond to my Adjournment matter. I raise the matter of the flooding in recent days and in particular flooding in Cork city which was devastated last night. Cork has experienced many flooding events over the years. The two flooding events this week are related to high tides, a lot of rain and winds from the south east. This combination is dynamite for the Cork city area.

When I was a child my father had a shop in Prince's Street in the city centre. The fire brigade often rang at 3 a.m. or 4 a.m. to say the place was flooded. He always kept a pair of waders inside the door. Some floods happened as a result of blocked culverts. I am asking for a response from the Minister of State so that I can go back to the traders and householders in Cork and tell them what the Government plans to do. The Minister of State, Deputy Brian Hayes, made the point that not everywhere can be protected and I accept that. However, the protection of people's homes and businesses should be prioritised. Priority should be given to the value of the property, not just its monetary value but also value related to the use of the property. Significant funding will be required and the Minister has said it will come sooner rather than at the end of 2016. I hope this will be the case. Rather than a fire-brigade response all the time, we need a long-term plan of action to alleviate and to respond to flooding issues.

Fergus O'Dowd (Louth, Fine Gael)
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I thank Senator Clune for raising this important matter. I apologise for the absence of the Minister of State, Deputy Brian Hayes, who is unable to be present. I will bring the Senator's comments to his attention.

The Government is acutely aware of the flooding situation in Cork city and surrounding areas. The Minister of State, Deputy Brian Hayes, has visited the city on many occasions in recent times. He is travelling to Cork again tomorrow to receive a briefing on the current situation from the city manager and to meet with elected representatives and residents in Cobh. The residents and business owners of Cork city, as indeed in other flooded areas of the country, have had to deal with a truly awful situation during this recent period of storms and flooding. The scenes of devastation we have seen on television are really heart-rending. There have been many tributes paid to the emergency services over recent weeks and I wish to acknowledge the tremendous efforts of the emergency response teams who put themselves in the front line in difficult and sometimes dangerous conditions and who have made great efforts to mitigate the very worst effects of these events.

The flooding situation in Cork city has been under active consideration for some time. While there has been criticism of the length of time it is taking to implement a flood defence scheme for the city, it is important that there is a clear understanding that the flood situation in Cork is not straightforward. The work being undertaken by the OPW, the council and their advisers, in progressing a scheme for the city, involves complex and detailed preparations to ensure that the best possible long-term solution is found. A catchment flood risk assessment and management study for the River Lee catchment which was commissioned by the OPW in 2006, produced a draft plan which identified potential options for the alleviation of flood risk in Cork city and county along the lower Lee. The OPW appointed Arup engineers as consultants in April 2013 to further develop the proposals.

The main objectives of the work currently being undertaken by Arup include: the development of a flood forecasting system for Cork city and the lower reaches of the River Lee, downstream of Inniscarra, to facilitate optimum decision-making on dam discharges; assessment and development of a viable, cost-effective and sustainable scheme, to permit greater discharges from Inniscarra dam without causing flooding of properties and to provide protection along the lower Lee and through Cork city against residual fluvial flooding and flooding from high tides and surge levels; and assessment and development of a viable, cost-effective and sustainable scheme for Blackpool and Ballyvolane, to protect against flooding from pluvial, fluvial, tidal and surge.

The work by Arup is well under way, with most of the emphasis on detailed hydrological analysis and hydraulic modelling of the channels involved, along with the development of a flood forecasting system. A public information day was held on 17 July 2013.

A site investigations contract is due to be tendered shortly. This will aid in the development of the outline scheme. The options for defences will then need to be examined from an environmental perspective before a preferred scheme can be identified. The OPW intends to bring the emerging preferred scheme before the public on 29 July 2014. Subject to no major obstacles emerging at the information day, the scheme will be further refined, an environmental impact assessment, EIA, will be completed, statutory scheme documents will be completed and a formal public exhibition will commence towards the end of the year. This will be held over a four-week period and detailed information will be provided on all aspects of the scheme, after which the public will be invited to make submissions.

Subject to the proposals being generally well received, detailed design will then commence, from which contract documents will be drawn up for the procurement of a civil works contractor to undertake the works. The OPW is examining whether there are possibilities to bring forward certain elements of the detailed design in advance of that time.

I emphasise that any scheme for Cork city has the potential to be a large project, possibly the largest flood relief scheme ever undertaken by the OPW. This will be a substantial investment by the State, which can only be done when we are absolutely sure that we have the right solution for the city. Therefore, the time being taken to complete full and comprehensive hydrological analysis and hydraulic modelling will be well spent in the long term. In addition, the flooding of recent days has provided an opportunity to gather significant data that will help to confirm the eventual solution. It is understandable that those who have been affected want an immediate solution to the problem. However, it is important that the work be done correctly.

Apart from the proposed scheme for the central city area, studies are also being advanced in areas near the city at Glanmire-Glashaboy, Douglas-Togher and Crookstown, where Cork County Council is taking the lead role, with funding being provided by the OPW. It is hoped that proposals to deal with the areas' problems will be made before the end of 2014.

Further afield, the OPW and Cork County Council are at an advanced stage for schemes in Bandon and Skibbereen. Both have been through the public exhibition stage, with works due to be commenced in Bandon in mid-2014 and in Skibbereen towards the end of 2014. Consultants have also been appointed to develop proposals in Clonakilty, with a preferred scheme due to be tabled for public consultation before the end of this year. It is also hoped to introduce proposals for a scheme in Baile Mhic Íre towards the end of 2014. All of the work being done in respect of these areas underlines the commitment to deal with the most significant flooding problems in Cork.

On the broader national level, there has been a significant amount of investment since 1995 in flood relief works, with approximately €320 million invested by the OPW. This investment has brought benefits estimated at more than €1 billion in terms of damage and loss avoided and has provided flood protection to more than 10,500 properties. In Cork alone, more than €57 million has been spent on capital projects since 2002. In addition, the OPW has funded 23 projects in County Cork under the minor flood works and coastal protection scheme since its introduction in 2009. The Government has prioritised investment in flood risk management by allocating €225 million for the period 2012 to 2016 as part of its infrastructure and capital investment framework.

The OPW will continue to work closely with its partners, Cork city and county councils, to advance all these projects in a timely manner. There are and will be challenges in developing such large projects, but I assure the Senator there is a commitment to progressing the projects in order that the people of the city and county will reap the benefits as soon as possible.

Deirdre Clune (Fine Gael)
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I thank the Minister of State for highlighting the commitment to progressing the projects. It is important we keep hearing that. He recognises the fact there is frustration in the city centre. When will these projects start construction? Could certain elements of the scheme be advanced once identified? The floods of the past week will have provided further information.

Fergus O'Dowd (Louth, Fine Gael)
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I am happy to bring the Senator's comments to the attention of the Minister of State, Deputy Brian Hayes, and his officials. This work must be done properly and as quickly as possible. I assure the Senator that the Minister of State is aware of her views on expediting the work.

Deirdre Clune (Fine Gael)
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Go raibh maith agat.