Colm Keaveney (Galway East, Fianna Fail)
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135. To ask the Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform the reasons that the Office of Public Works has not taken immediate action to alleviate regular flooding at a location (details supplied) in County Galway; if his attention has been drawn to the fact that his Department has full knowledge of this situation for the last decade; if his attention has been drawn to the fact that up to six families cannot access their homes by road and that farmers and animals are also affected; the action he proposes to take; when will works commence; the amount of money being allocated for this project; if he will allocate the necessary funds to Galway County Council for these urgent and critical works; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [10806/14]

Brian Hayes (Dublin South West, Fine Gael)
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The townlands of Ballyboy, Caherduff and Ardrahan are situated on the Cregaclare to Monksfield River which flows on to Aggard Stream and outfalls into the Dunkellin River upstream of Rahasane Turlough.

The proposed Dunkellin River and Aggard Stream Flood Relief Scheme will include flood alleviation measures from upstream of Craughwell Road Bridge to Kilcolgan on the Dunkellin River and also include maintenance of the aforementioned channels from Cregaclare to the outfall into the Dunkellin River, including culvert replacement works where existing blocked and undersized piped crossings currently exist.

Galway County Council is acting as Contracting Authority for the proposed flood relief scheme, which is being funded by the Office of Public Works. The Council has appointed engineering and environmental consultants to design the scheme, and is progressing the project under the Strategic Infrastructure Act. I am advised that Galway County Council intends to submit the scheme to An Bord Pleanála for consideration in early Summer. It is not possible to indicate when works can be commenced until the scheme has been progressed through the planning process

It should be noted that the Cregaclare channel and the lower Dunkellin River form part of the Dunkellin Drainage District for which Galway County Council has a statutory maintenance responsibility. Given the recurrence of flooding again at Cregaclare in 2014, OPW will be requesting Galway County Council to proceed, this Summer, with maintenance of the channel from Cregaclare to its outfall into the Dunkellin River in advance of the proposed Dunkellin River and Aggard Stream Flood Relief Scheme works. This maintenance work should significantly reduce the localised road flooding which is occurring in the Ardrahan area at this time.