Denis Naughten (Roscommon-South Leitrim, Independent)
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85. To ask the Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform his plans for flood relief in Athleague village in County Roscommon; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [44537/15]

Simon Harris (Wicklow, Fine Gael)
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Athleague is an Area for Further Assessment (AFA) under the Shannon Catchment Flood Risk Assessment and Management (CFRAM) Programme and detailed flood risk assessment is being carried out by engineering consultants on behalf of the Office of Public Works in partnership with Roscommon County Council. Draft predictive flood maps, produced under the Study, were the subject of a Public Consultation event in Athleague on 17 September 2014. The draft maps are scheduled to be finalised following the national statutory consultation process, currently ongoing until 23 December, 2015. Details are available the consultation website .

As part of the process, a further Public Consultation event on preliminary options to manage flood risk was due to be held in Athleague on 8 December 2015, however due to flooding in the town, it will be rescheduled for a date in early 2016. Flood Risk Management Plans for the Shannon CFRAM Study area are scheduled to be prepared during 2016. Data on the recent flooding in Athleague will be gathered by the Shannon CFRAM Study consultants and fully taken into account as part of work on the Study.

In 2010 funds were approved in the sum of €270,000 for works under the Minor Flood Mitigation Works & Coastal Protection Scheme for a project in Athleague County Roscommon.

No further applications have been submitted by Roscommon County Council for works at Athleague. It remains open to the Council to apply for funding under the above scheme. Any application received will be assessed under the eligibility criteria, which include a requirement that any measures are cost beneficial, and having regard to the overall availability of funding.

Denis Naughten (Roscommon-South Leitrim, Independent)
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86. To ask the Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform his plans for flood relief in Roscommontown; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [44538/15]

Simon Harris (Wicklow, Fine Gael)
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Roscommon Town is an Area for Further Assessment (AFA) under the national Catchment Flood Risk Assessment and Management (CFRAM) Programme. A detailed flood risk assessment of Roscommon Town is being carried out by engineering consultants on behalf of the Office of Public Works (OPW) under the Shannon CFRAM Study, in partnership with Roscommon County Council.

Draft predictive flood maps have been produced and a Public Consultation event was held on them in Roscommon Town on 24 April, 2014. The draft maps are scheduled to be finalised following the national statutory consultation, currently on-going until 23rd December, 2015. Books of draft maps are available to view at the Council's Offices and on Furthermore, as part of the development of preliminary options to manage flood risk, a Public Consultation event was held in Roscommon Town on 8 December, 2015. In response to the recent flooding in the town, data will be gathered by the Shannon CFRAM consultants and taken account of as part of the option development stage of the Study. Flood Risk Management Plans for each CFRAM Study area are scheduled to be prepared during 2016.

Local flooding issues are a matter, in the first instance, for each local authority to investigate and address.

The Council may also apply to the OPW for funding of flood mitigation works under the Minor Flood Mitigation Works and Coastal Protection Scheme. This purpose of this scheme is to provide funding to local authorities to undertake minor works to address localised flooding and coastal protection problems within their administrative areas. The scheme generally applies to relatively straightforward cases where a solution can be readily identified and achieved in a short time frame. Under the scheme, applications are considered for projects that are estimated to cost no more than €500,000 in each instance. Funding of up to 90% of the cost is available for approved projects, with the balance being funded by the local authority concerned. Any application received will be considered in accordance with the scheme eligibility criteria, including a requirement that any measures are cost beneficial, and having regard to the overall availability of resources for flood risk management. Since 2010 funding of €457,200 has been approved under the OPW's Minor Works and Coastal Protection Scheme for flood mitigation works on the River Jiggy in Roscommon Town.

Denis Naughten (Roscommon-South Leitrim, Independent)
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87. To ask the Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform his plans for flood relief in Ballinasloe town in County Galway; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [44539/15]

Simon Harris (Wicklow, Fine Gael)
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Ballinasloe is an Area for Further Assessment (AFA) under the national Catchment Flood Risk Assessment and Management (CFRAM) Programme. A detailed flood risk assessment of Ballinasloe is being carried out by engineering consultants on behalf of the Office of Public Works (OPW) under the Shannon CFRAM Study, in partnership with Roscommon County Council.

Draft predictive flood maps have been produced and a Public Consultation event was held on the draft maps in Ballinasloe on 26 February, 2014. The draft maps are scheduled to be finalised following the national statutory consultation, currently on-going until 23 December, 2015. Books of draft maps are available to view at the Council's Offices and on In response to the recent flooding in Ballinasloe, data will be gathered by the Shannon CFRAM consultants and taken account of as part of the option development stage of the Study. As part of the preliminary options development process, a Public Consultation event will be held in Ballinasloe early in 2016. Flood Risk Management Plans, which are scheduled for completion by the end of 2016, will include a prioritised list of measures, both structural and non-structural, to address flood risk in an environmentally sustainable and cost effective manner.

Very significant funding, totalling €1.9 million, has been approved from 2010 to date by the OPW to Galway County Council under the Minor Flood Mitigation Works and Coastal Protection Scheme, in respect of flood mitigation works in Ballinasloe area.