Finian McGrath (Dublin North Central, Independent)
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67. To ask the Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform if the Office of Public Works will exercise restraint on the height of flood walls in areas of beauty and amenity; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [39788/15]

Simon Harris (Wicklow, Fine Gael)
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Under its Major Capital Works Programme, the Office of Public Works (OPW) has over 30 major flood relief projects at various stages from initial design to works construction. These schemes are carried out with the OPW as the Contracting Authority or in some cases with the relevant Local Authority as the Contracting Authority with funding being provided by the OPW.

Flood Relief Schemes are designed to provide a standard level of protection against a fluvial flood with 1% Annual Exceedance Probability or a 0.5% Annual Exceedance Probability for tidal flood events, more commonly known as 100 and 200 year flood events respectively, and are only implemented when they are economically viable and environmentally acceptable. All schemes must provide this standard level of flood protection in order to be approved.

An Environmental Impact Statement (EIS) is completed for nearly all large flood relief schemes and the EIS must identify and assess the direct and indirect effects of the proposed works. Once a preferred scheme is determined on any given project, the proposals are brought before the public through a consultation process which gives the public an opportunity to comment and make submissions on the proposed works.

In order for a scheme to proceed it must be generally acceptable to the public in the area where it is proposed to be implemented.

Having regard to the foregoing, the height and appearance of flood defence walls are very important elements in the design of flood relief schemes and the OPW strives always to achieve the appropriate balance between the absolute requirement to have a scheme which delivers the standard of protection needed while also providing a scheme which is aesthetically pleasing and acceptable to the community it serves particularly in areas of beauty and amenity.