Written answers

Thursday, 6 November 2014

Department of Public Expenditure and Reform

Flood Risk Assessments

Photo of Michelle MulherinMichelle Mulherin (Mayo, Fine Gael)
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75. To ask the Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform if he will confirm that every area which experienced flooding in the past year has been included under the CFRAM study; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [42740/14]

Photo of Simon HarrisSimon Harris (Wicklow, Fine Gael)
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Many of the areas that experienced significant damage as a result of tidal or river flooding in the past year would be included under the CFRAM studies. However, it cannot be said that every area that experienced flooding is so included. The CFRAM programme is assessing in detail 300 areas of potentially significant flood risk known as Areas for Further Assessment or AFAs. These 300 AFAs, which include 90 located in coastal locations, were identified under the Preliminary Flood Risk Assessment (PFRA) exercise which was completed in 2011 as a requirement of the EU Floods Directive. The PFRA was a national screening exercise, based on available and readily derivable information to identify areas where there may be a significant risk associated with flooding and was subject to public consultation at the time.

Good progress is being made on the six regional CFRAM Studies under the National CFRAM Programme. The CFRAM Programme will be used to determine national priorities for State investment in flood defences, on a systematic and objective basis, using Multi-Criteria Analysis. More information on the Programme is available on www.cfram.ie.

Outside of the CFRAM Programme, it is open to local authorities to apply to the Office of Public Works for funding of flood mitigation works under the Minor Flood Mitigation Works and Coastal Protection Scheme. Any application received will be assessed under the eligibility criteria, including a requirement that any measures are cost beneficial, and having regard to the overall availability of funding. It is also open to local authorities to carry out flood mitigation and coastal protection works using their own resources.

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