Ciarán Lynch (Cork South Central, Labour)
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169. To ask the Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform the funding available to assist businesses in flood-prone areas of Cork city (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [2215/16]

Simon Harris (Wicklow, Fine Gael)
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The Lower Lee (Cork City) Flood Relief Scheme is at design stage with the outline design expected to be completed in the next few months. At the same time, an Environmental Impact Statement will be completed. It is expected that this will allow the holding of a formal public exhibition in mid 2016 following which work on the detailed design will be progressed with the aim of enabling the OPW to submit the Scheme for Ministerial Confirmation under the Arterial Drainage Acts as early as possible in 2017.

In relation to management of the flood risk for Cork, the Office of Public Works (OPW) is currently undertaking the Catchment Flood Risk Assessment and Management (CFRAM) Programme throughout the country. The Programme involves an assessment of 300 locations nationwide including 90 coastal locations, the mapping of potentially significant flood risk areas and the production of flood risk management options and plans. These draft Flood Risk Management Plans are due to be published in mid-2016 for public consultation.

In the context of the CFRAM Programme, the Government announced two pilot Individual Property Protection (IPP) projects on 5 January 2015. These are community based pilots to inform the mechanism to deliver IPP, as part of a community based approach or scheme and also the potential costs and benefits attached to IPP for areas where a flood defence scheme is not likely to be completed for some time.

These pilots are:

- a feasibility study in Thomastown and Graiguenamanagh, where Kilkenny County Council has procured consultants to carry out the study that are due to be appointed in January 2016. The consultants will survey each property to establish potential and appropriate IPP options for the community. The development of all possible feasible flood defence options for these towns is an ongoing part of the CFRAM process, and

- Mayo County Council is considering the potential viability of a scheme for the installation of flood gates for some properties, identified by the community in Crossmolina, as an interim measure to help mitigate any further flood damage pending the completion of the defence scheme for the town.

The pilots will, in time, inform any extension of IPP to other areas.