Jimmy Deenihan (Kerry North, Fine Gael)
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Question 245: To ask the Minister for the Environment, Heritage and Local Government the date he issued guidelines to local authorities on the building of houses on flood plains; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [5255/09]

John Gormley (Dublin South East, Green Party)
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Draft Guidelines for Planning Authorities on the Planning System and Flood Risk Management were issued for public consultation in September 2008. The draft Guidelines are aimed at ensuring a more consistent, rigorous and systematic approach to flood risk assessment and management in the planning system. The draft guidelines state that: development in areas at risk of flooding, particularly flood plains, should be avoided unless there are wider sustainability grounds that justify appropriate development and where the risk can be reduced or managed to an acceptable level; a sequential approach must be adopted to flood risk management when assessing the location of new development based on avoidance, reduction and mitigation of flood risk; flood risk assessment must be incorporated into the process of making decisions on planning applications and planning appeals.

A total of 39 submissions were received on foot of the consultation process and these are currently being considered by my Department, in conjunction with the OPW, with a view to finalising the guidelines shortly.