Tommy Broughan (Dublin North East, Independent)
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246. To ask the Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform if any future forecasting will include tidal flooding as well as river flooding; if future forecasting will include areas of past flooding; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [1396/16]

Simon Harris (Wicklow, Fine Gael)
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The Government has agreed to the establishment of a flood forecasting and warning service.

A Flood Forecasting and Warning Service is regarded as an important non-structural flood mitigation measure. It will provide early warning that will allow the general public and local authorities to take more effective preventive action to mitigate the impacts of an impending flood.

The Office of Public Works (OPW) commissioned the Report of the Strategic Review of Options for Flood Forecasting and Flood Warning in Ireland that has set out a range of options and possible approaches for the development of a National Flood Forecasting and Warning Service. This Report confirms international experience and indicates that the provision, operation and maintenance of forecasting and warning services is resource-intensive, complex and has a relatively long development timeline.

The Flood Forecasting and Warning Service would be a new operational unit within Met Éireann with guidance for standards and performance independently overseen by the OPW.

The intention is that a Steering Group will be convened, including representatives from the OPW, the Department of Environment, Community and Local Government, Met Éireann, Local Authorities to steer, support and oversee the establishment of the new service over the coming years, as well as maintaining the current arrangements until the new service is in place. The service will be nationwide and it is expected that flooding from tidal (coastal) sources will form part of the early discussions of this Steering Group.

Jack Wall (Kildare South, Labour)
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247. To ask the Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform the status of the catchment flood risk assessment and management proposal for a town (details supplied) in County Kildare; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [1482/16]

Jack Wall (Kildare South, Labour)
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248. To ask the Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform the status of the catchment flood risk assessment and management proposals for County Kildare, including the locations they relate to; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [1483/16]

Simon Harris (Wicklow, Fine Gael)
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I propose to take Questions Nos. 247 and 248 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. Two CFRAM studies, the Eastern and the South Eastern, cover the 15 AFAs within Co. Kildare namely Celbridge, Clane, Johnstown Bridge, Kilcock, Leixlip, Maynooth, Naas, Newbridge, Turnings/Killeenmore (Morrell Scheme), Allenwood, Athy, Castledermot, Monasterevin, Rathangan and Suncroft.

The Programme 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 which concluded in April, 2015. The draft flood maps will now be finalised following the conclusion of the national statutory public consultation on 23 December, 2015. Work on the next phase, assessment of preliminary flood risk management options is underway. In this regard, a series of Public Consultation Days will be held over the coming months, including one in Athy, to allow the public to view the preliminary options available and provide feedback on them.

Following the finalisation of the flood mapping and the identification of appropriate and viable preliminary flood risk management options, the final output from this important project will be integrated Flood Risk Management Plans containing specific measures to address in a comprehensive and sustainable way the significant flood risks identified. Further information is available on the individual project websites accessible via www.cfram.ie.