Bernard Durkan (Kildare North, Fine Gael)
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Question 528: To ask the Minister for the Environment, Heritage and Local Government the various other Government departments with which his Department has been associated in recent years in the context of drainage works at various locations throughout the country; the Department that plays a leading role in such activity; if it is intended to seek funding from European Union institutions with a view to putting in place a property co-ordinated national or regional drainage plan; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [31311/10]

John Gormley (Dublin South East, Green Party)
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Drainage works are generally the responsibility of the Office of Public Works in the context of measures to alleviate flooding, and the lead role in the preparation and funding of any regional drainage plan would accordingly fall to the OPW. Where my Department provides funding for local authority sewerage schemes in urban areas, these schemes may, on occasion, provide limited measures to prevent flooding where inadequate collection networks exist. These schemes may also provide storm water drains and outfalls, to facilitate the separation of foul and surface water, to create additional capacity within existing combined systems.

In addition, in partnership with the Office of Public Works, my Department published Guidelines for Planning Authorities on the Planning System and Flood Risk Management in November 2009 with the aim of ensuring a more consistent, rigorous and systematic approach to flood risk identification, assessment and management within the planning system. These statutory guidelines provide the basis for planning authorities to identify, assess and take appropriate steps to manage flood risk in a sustainable manner.