Gerry Adams (Louth, Sinn Fein)
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339. To ask the Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform for an update on the areas identified under catchment flood risk assessment and management studies in County Meath; if the draft predicted flood maps have been approved; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [37201/15]

Gerry Adams (Louth, Sinn Fein)
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340. To ask the Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform if a flood risk management plan has been formed to address identified flood risk areas in Bettystown in east Meath; the areas identified; the measures to be taken; and the funding that will be allocated. [37202/15]

Simon Harris (Wicklow, Fine Gael)
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I propose to take Questions Nos. 339 and 340 together.

Good progress is being made on the national Catchment Flood Risk Assessment and Management (CFRAM) Programme which is the principal vehicle for implementing the EU Floods Directive and forms the strategic focus of national flood risk management policy. Engineering consultants have been appointed by the Office of Public Works (OPW) to implement the Programme, through six regional studies. Local authorities and other stakeholders are involved, in partnership with the OPW, on Steering Groups and Progress Groups across the six study areas. The Programme is focusing on 300 Areas for Further Assessment (AFAs), including 90 coastal areas, identified as being at potentially significant risk from flooding. The CFRAM Programme includes a number of areas within Co. Meath and involves the production of predictive flood hazard and risk mapping for each location, the development of preliminary flood risk management options and the production of Flood Risk Management Plans. The Plans will be used to determine national priorities for State investment in flood defences, on a systematic and objective basis taking into account social, environmental and economic factors.

Under the CFRAM Programme to date, draft flood maps have been produced and were the subject of a series of local public consultation days held in March 2015. Draft flood maps for those AFAs in County Meath which are being assessed under the East CFRAM study, have been produced and are available to view and to comment on via the website www.eastcframstudy.ie. The draft flood maps will be finalised following a national consultation scheduled for late 2015.

Bettystown AFA was studied under the pilot Fingal East Meath Flood Risk Assessment and Management Study (FEM FRAMS). The draft Flood Risk Management Plan produced under this study includes a number of flood protection measures for the Laytown/Bettystown area, with Meath County Council as the lead agency for implementation, pending finalisation of the Plan by Fingal County Council. Details of this study are available at: .

The Government recently announced increased levels of investment in the area of flood relief as part of the overall Capital Investment Plan 2016-2021 and this investment programme will allow for consideration of measures arising from the CFRAM Plans.