Brendan Griffin (Kerry South, Fine Gael)
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122. To ask the Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform if the Foiladonn area of Glenflesk will be included as an area for further assessment and why this area was not included to date given the recent flooding of homes in the area; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [1642/16]

Brendan Griffin (Kerry South, Fine Gael)
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123. To ask the Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform if sluice valves will be installed on tributary streams of the River Flesk at Foiladonn in Glenflesk in County Kerry to prevent water from backing up the streams and flooding nearby properties; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [1643/16]

Brendan Griffin (Kerry South, Fine Gael)
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124. To ask the Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform if he will liaise with Kerry County Council to have the eyes of the bridges at Gortahoosh and Curreal opened up as some of them are now completely blocked and beginning to act as a dam, causing the water to flood the adjoining area and properties when the river is in flood; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [1644/16]

Brendan Griffin (Kerry South, Fine Gael)
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125. To ask the Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform if he will liaise with Kerry County Council to have the trees that are blocking the flow of water removed from the River Flesk at Glenflesk as they are causing the water to flood the adjoining area and properties when the river is in flood; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [1645/16]

Brendan Griffin (Kerry South, Fine Gael)
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126. To ask the Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform if he will liaise with Kerry County Council to have gravel removed from parts of the River Flesk, where it is causing a blockage, causing the water to flood the adjoining area and properties when the river is in flood; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [1646/16]

Brendan Griffin (Kerry South, Fine Gael)
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127. To ask the Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform if he will liaise with Transport Infrastructure Ireland to install flood relief drains under the raised section of the upgraded N22 at Glenflesk in County Kerry, as the raised road is acting as a dam to contain the river from its natural flood plain into a confined area, causing the water to flood the enclosed properties when the river is in flood; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [1647/16]

Simon Harris (Wicklow, Fine Gael)
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I propose to take Questions Nos. 122 to 127, inclusive, together.

The river referred to by the Deputy does not form part of any Arterial Drainage Scheme which would fall under the remit of the Office of Public Works (OPW) under the 1945 Arterial Drainage Act. The OPW therefore has no responsibility for the maintenance of this river.

Glenflesk village, including Curreal bridge, is one of 300 locations nationwide that is being assessed under the OPW's Catchment Flood Risk Assessment and Management (CFRAM) Programme, the purpose of which is to implement the EU Floods Directive and national flood policy. The Programme involves the production of predictive flood risk and hazard mapping for each location, the development of appropriate and viable preliminary flood risk management options and the production of flood risk management plans. Under the South Western CFRAM Study, draft predictive flood maps for Glenflesk have been produced and were the subject of a Public Consultation Day in Glenflesk on 21 October 2014. Following the conclusion on 23 December 2015 of the national statutory public consultation on the draft flood maps, the maps will be finalised in early 2016. Work on the Preliminary flood risk management options phase of the CFRAM Study is under way. In that regard, a Public Consultation Day was held in Glenflesk on 8 December 2015. Further information is available on the South Western CFRAM Study website . All possible options to manage the flood risk in Glenflesk are being considered to develop feasible flood risk management plans. The feasible options will not cause any flooding impact upstream or downstream of the area being protected.

The Preliminary Flood Risk Assessment in 2011 designated those areas at potentially significant risk from flooding for further assessment through the CFRAM programme. The decisions at that time were based on preliminary modelling, historical records and also public consultation, including with the Local Authorities. Foiladonn and Gortahoosh bridge are not included in the CFRAM Study assessment of Glenflesk. The OPW is preparing its plans to meet the requirement in the EU Floods Directive to conduct a further assessment in 2017 of areas at potentially significant risk from flooding for further assessment.

Local flooding issues are a matter, in the first instance, for each Local Authority to investigate and address, and Kerry County Council may carry out flood mitigation works using its own resources. The Office of Public Works operates a Minor Flood Mitigation Works and Coastal Protection Scheme. This administrative Scheme's eligibility criteria, including a requirement that any measures are cost beneficial are published on the OPW website, . It is open to the Council to submit a funding application under the Scheme. Any application received will be considered in accordance with the overall availability of resources for flood risk management and the scheme's eligibility criteria available on the OPW website.