Written answers

Tuesday, 4 October 2011

Department of Justice, Equality and Defence

Flood Relief

8:00 pm

Photo of Denis NaughtenDenis Naughten (Roscommon-South Leitrim, Fine Gael)
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Question 263: To ask the Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform further to Parliamentary Question No. 34 of 5 July 2011, the progress made to date in relation to this study; the position in relation to the public consultation; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [26920/11]

Photo of Brian HayesBrian Hayes (Dublin South West, Fine Gael)
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As I outlined in my reply to the Deputy's question in July of this year, the consideration of flooding matters in the River Shannon catchment falls within the national programme of Catchment Flood Risk Assessment and Management (CFRAM) studies being commissioned nationally throughout 2011.

The Office of Public Works (OPW) appointed engineering consultants, Jacobs International, in January 2011 to undertake the Shannon CFRAM study. This work will identify and examine in detail the causes of flooding throughout the Shannon catchment, and produce an integrated plan of specific measures to address the significant flood risk factors in a pro-active and comprehensive way. Its output will be a flood risk management plan for the Shannon catchment, taking into account economic, social and environmental factors.

The incidence of summer flooding of the Shannon Callows between Portumna and Athlone is an important part of the CFRAM study for the Shannon catchment. It is important to stress that the long-term resolution of significant areas of flooding risk in the Shannon catchment, and indeed on all national river catchments, must derive from the extensive range of CFRAM studies now being undertaken.

Progress:

Considerable progress has been made in progressing the Study, which will continue to 2015 and will meet the requirements of the EU Floods Directive.

A number of meetings of both the CFRAM Advisory and Progress Groups, which includes representatives of the principal stakeholders, have taken place, early draft deliverables have been supplied and the Study programme remains firmly on track.

The project website, www.ShannonCFRAMStudy.ie has been launched which allows all interested parties and members of the public to review progress on the Study and access regular electronic newsletters on the Study, outlining progress made and forthcoming consultation events and milestones.

Consultation:

In the context of the delivery of the first principal reporting stage of this study, the Preliminary Flood Risk Assessment, a public consultation process is underway for the River Shannon Catchment, as well as nationally for all other catchments.

In parallel with this public consultation, I have engaged extensively with a series of meetings with local delegations and the Irish Farmers Association (IFA), in Athlone, Longford and East Galway, and arranged a stakeholder consultation forum held in Ballinasloe in July. This included the main stakeholder groups in the Shannon Catchment, and provided a structured opportunity for those groups too set out their concerns.

Public consultation forms an integral part of the CFRAM Study process, and stakeholder group meetings and public, location-specific consultation days will be held throughout the Study period in addition to the formal consultation processes required under SI. No. 122 of 2010, which transposed the 'Floods' Directive into Irish Law.

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