Seán Kyne (Galway West, Fine Gael)
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65. To ask the Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform the progress on introducing the €430 million fund for defence works, given the recent flooding and the damage to coastal communities and the higher frequency of more severe Atlantic storms over the past number of years. [1914/16]

Simon Harris (Wicklow, Fine Gael)
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The provision of €430 million funding for flood risk management has already been made by the Government and was announced in the Infrastructure and Capital Investment Plan 2016 – 2021published in September 2015.

This funding is being made available to the Office of Public Works (OPW) through the annual Estimates process and allows for a graduated increase in the annual capital allocation to the OPW for flood relief measures from its existing base of €45m to €100m by 2021. The €430 million allocation will enable the OPW to continue with the implementation of its existing programme of flood relief capital works and to commence implementation on a prioritised basis from 2017 onwards of the structural flood defence measures that will be included in the flood risk management plans being prepared under the Catchment Flood Risk Assessment and Management (CFRAM) Programme including any viable measures identified to address flooding in the coastal locations included in the Programme. These plans are due to be finalised by the end of 2016.

The CFRAM Programme is the core strategy for addressing flood risk in areas at potentially significant risk from flooding. The Programme is focussing on 300 Areas for Further Assessment (AFAs) including 90 coastal areas, mainly in urban locations nationwide, identified as being at potentially significant risk of flooding. It is the principal vehicle for implementing the EU Floods Directive and national flood policy.

Work on the development of preliminary options to address flood risk is now underway in the CFRAM Programme. Following finalisation of the mapping and the identification of 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. The Plans will include a prioritised list of measures, both structural and non-structural, to address flood risk in an environmentally sustainable and cost effective manner. Further information on the Programme is available on www.cfram.ie.

Pending the completion of the CFRAM Plans, the OPW is continuing with the implementation of its existing comprehensive programme of flood relief Capital Works which includes projects at various stages of design, planning and construction. There are currently five major schemes at construction in Bray, Co Wicklow, River Dodder, Dublin, South Campshires, Dublin, Ennis Lower, Ennis and Phases 2, 3 and 4 in Waterford City. There are a further 26 at design and planning of which it is anticipated that construction works on schemes in Claregalway, Bandon and Skibbereen, Templemore and Foynes will be commenced this year.

The OPW will also continue its Minor Flood Mitigation Works and Coastal Protection Scheme which allows local authorities to submit applications for funding to OPW for projects costing under €0.5m and which meet required criteria. The Scheme has already provided funding for over 500 projects since its implementation in 2009 with expenditure of approximately €29m.