Joanna Tuffy (Dublin Mid West, Labour)
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Question 85: To ask the Tánaiste and Minister for Finance the position regarding the implementation of the recommendations of the Flood Policy Review Group; and the recommendations of the Report of the Flood Policy Review Group that have to date been implemented. [2931/08]

Joanna Tuffy (Dublin Mid West, Labour)
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Question 86: To ask the Tánaiste and Minister for Finance the position regarding the development of River Basin Flood Risk Management Plans as recommended by the Flood Policy Review Group; and the steps that have been taken by his Department to ensure these plans are underway. [2932/08]

Joanna Tuffy (Dublin Mid West, Labour)
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Question 87: To ask the Tánaiste and Minister for Finance the steps that have been taken by his Department to reorganise structures and responsibility for flooding as recommended and outlined in the Flood Policy Review Group. [2933/08]

Joanna Tuffy (Dublin Mid West, Labour)
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Question 88: To ask the Tánaiste and Minister for Finance the works that have been carried out since 2000 under the flood relief programme. [2935/08]

Joanna Tuffy (Dublin Mid West, Labour)
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Question 89: To ask the Tánaiste and Minister for Finance the works to be carried out in 2008, 2009 and 2010 under the flood relief programme. [2936/08]

Joanna Tuffy (Dublin Mid West, Labour)
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Question 90: To ask the Tánaiste and Minister for Finance the steps that have been taken by his Department on foot of the recommendations in the Flood Policy Review Group for funding and resources to be provided to MET Éireann in respect of information technology infrastructure and hydrological modelling. [2937/08]

Noel Ahern (Dublin North West, Fianna Fail)
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I propose to take Questions Nos. 85 to 90, inclusive, together.

The Government has assigned responsibility as lead Agency for the implementation of its policy in respect of flood risk management to the Office of Public Works as recommended by the review group. The policy being pursued is fully in line with the recommendations of the review group.

The provision for flood risk management in the National Development Plan 2007-2013 is €382m. The provision for this year is €50m. Expenditure last year amounted to €23.115m. In addition to the capital provision, there is a provision in the OPW vote in 2008 of €22m for Channel maintenance and other work programmes.

The Department of Finance sanctioned the appointment of an additional 30 staff to enable the Office of Public Works to implement the recommendations of the report. The process of filling these posts is complex and is ongoing.

OPW is pro actively developing a range of non-structural measures to mitigate the effects of existing flood risk and to prevent the creation of future flood risk.

A website, www.floodmaps.ie, which shows details of records of flooding throughout the State for more than 100 years has been developed and is accessible to the public. Planning Authorities are in a position to access more detailed information in relation to flood risk through the website.

Measures taken to date to raise the general level of public awareness of flooding as an issue include running a number of public awareness campaigns including the distribution of an information booklet and the setting up of a website www.flooding.ie, which contains information and advice under the headings Plan, Prepare, Protect.

OPW was actively involved, in co-operation with the Department of the Environment, Heritage and Local Government, in the negotiation of the EU Floods Directive and will continue to be responsible in co-operation with the Department for the implementation of the Directive.

Pilot Catchment Flood Risk Assessment and Management Studies [CFRAMS] are currently in progress in respect of the Rivers Lee, Dodder and Suir Catchments. Tenders are currently being sought for the Finglas/East Meath Flood Risk Assessment and Management Study. Progress on this programme is ahead of the requirements of the EU Directive, which requires that CFRAMS for all River Basins be completed by 2015.

A project to update the hydrometric and hydrological methodologies and data used by engineers and designers, is at an advanced stage and will be completed and published this year. OPW has also carried out a review of it's own hydrometric stations to ensure that adequate data will be available in the future, to monitor flood risk and to inform decision making where action may be required in response to evidence of increased risk.

OPW is working with the Department of the Environment, Heritage and Local Government and the Department of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food, to develop a guidance document on the consideration of flood risk in the planning and development process.

OPW is also working with the Department of the Environment, Heritage and Local Government to develop a guidance document outlining best practice in respect of the emergency management of a flood event.

OPW has initiated a review of the legislation under which it currently deals with flood risk management issues to determine what changes may be necessary to enable it to discharge the full range of its responsibilities in the future.

OPW is examining the criteria and processes that will be required to enable rivers, channels and flood defence assets to be designated for future maintenance where it is considered appropriate on economic, social or environmental grounds to do so.

All of OPW's major structural flood relief schemes are currently subjected to Cost Benefit Analysis. OPW has developed draft prioritisation criteria to enable it to prioritise between different elements of its work programme to make best use of staff, financial or other resources. The process of striking the right balance between economic, social, environmental and other considerations is extremely complex and further research is needed before this work is completed. It is expected that this task will be concluded this year.

OPW has established an Environmental Unit within the Engineering Services Division to advise in relation to the environmental considerations arising from its structural and non structural work programmes and to assist in ensuring that the best environmental options are selected, and where possible, environmental enhancement measures are incorporated in flood risk management measures.

OPW has established a high level steering committee to co-ordinate the implementation of its flood management work programme. Met Éireann are represented on the committee. The possibility of OPW providing assistance to Met Éireann to help improve flood forecasting has been discussed but no specific measures have been identified to date.

OPW is also engaged in a programme of structural flood relief measures to alleviate existing flooding problems.

The following flood relief works have been completed or are in progress since 2000 under the flood relief programme:

Mulkear River, Cappamore, Co. Limerick

Bridgend, Co. Donegal

Maam Valley, Co. Galway

Shinkeen Stream, Hazelhatch, Co. Kildare

Bandon River, Dunmanway, Co. Cork

Suir River, Carrick-on-Suir

River Nore, Kilkenny

Limerick (Harry's Mall)

Limerick (Clancy Strand)

River Tolka (Meath, Fingal and Dublin)

Munster Blackwater Mallow

River Suir (Clonmel)

Rye River, Leixlip

River Dodder

New Ross

Spencer Dock

The first phase of Flood Relief Schemes for Ennis, Clonmel, Carlow, Mallow and Fermoy are at varying stages of the tender process at present and will commence this year.

Detailed Design work on subsequent phases of these schemes will commence this year and it is anticipated that construction of schemes will commence in 2009 / 2010.

Flood Relief Schemes for Waterford, Woodford and the Dunkellin river and Mornington are at an advanced stage of design and it is anticipated that work on these schemes will also commence this year.

Flood Relief Schemes for Templemore, Raphoe, Letterkenny, River Liffey (South Quays), Enniscorthy, Tullow, Bray, Arklow, Portarlington, Piltown, and Tullamore are at various stages of the design process. While it is too early at this stage to say when work on site will commence, it is anticipated it will be possible to commence work on most of these projects in 2009 or 2010.

In addition to the works listed above OPW is also engaged in assisting Local Authorities though the provision of advice, funding or the execution of works as appropriate in each case, to deal with localised flooding problems where economic, social and environmental considerations support such measures. OPW also maintains an extensive network of watercourses, which were improved under the Arterial Drainage Act 1945, to maintain them in proper repair and effective condition. There is considerable evidence that this contributes to the prevention of flooding in areas drained by these watercourses.