Catherine Murphy (Kildare North, Independent)
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Question 279: To ask the Minister for Finance the situation between the Office of Public Works and Kildare County Council as it relates to flood relief work that has been identified as required in Leixlip; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [19613/06]

Tom Parlon (Laois-Offaly, Progressive Democrats)
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The Office of Public Works met with Kildare County Council on 31st March 2006 and agreed to undertake a Local Catchment Flood Risk Assessment and Management Study for the Rye River, encompassing the towns of Leixlip, Maynooth and Kilcock. This will ultimately form part of a Catchment Flood Risk Assessment and Management (CFRAM) Study for the entire Liffey Catchment, which it is planned to undertake at a later stage. The Office of Public Works agreed to prioritise this section of the study at the request of Kildare County Council in light of the existing flood risk and development pressure in the area. Work will commence as soon as possible. Catchment Flood Risk Assessment and Management Plans provide a strategic overview of a river catchment and a context within which decisions on the most appropriate measures to manage existing and potential flood risk. Subject to availability of funds, works recommended by the study which are economically and environmentally sustainable will be funded by the Office of Public Works within its overall Flood Management Policy. It is expected that it would take approximately 18 months to complete such a study of the Rye. Kildare County Council will continue with studies currently underway by ESBI in Leixlip and environs. In the context of this arrangement the OPW will be willing to consider with Kildare County Council whether elements of work recommended by the studies could be regarded with reasonable certainty as likely to be compatible with the recommendations of the Rye CFRAM study. OPW is willing to consider providing funding to KCC to carry out such works if they can be shown to be economically and environmentally sustainable.