Mick Wallace (Wexford, Independent)
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172. To ask the Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform his response to the ongoing flooding and in County Wexford in particular; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [2002/16]

Simon Harris (Wicklow, Fine Gael)
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The unprecedented rainfall in December led to extensive flooding across the country including in Co. Wexford.

A flood relief scheme is being progressed by Wexford County Council for Enniscorthy. The River Slaney (Enniscorthy) Flood Relief Scheme was publicly exhibited in 2009 but due to significant local opposition did not proceed to Confirmation stage at that point. Taking on board comments received during the exhibition, amendments were made to the outline design. Consultants were recently appointed by the Council to complete the detailed design both for the flood defences and the new bridge. It is hoped to have the designs completed mid-2016 and pending any objections following further public consultation, the scheme will be submitted to the Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform for confirmation. It is hoped to be in a position to appoint contractors early in 2017.

The Catchment Flood Risk Assessment and Management (CFRAM) Programme is currently being undertaken by the OPW in partnership with local authorities and other stakeholders, in line with national flood policy and the EU Directive (2007/EC/60). The South Eastern CFRAM Study is one of six regional studies that are assessing flood risk in 300 Areas for Further Assessment (AFAs) deemed to be at potentially significant risk and impact from flooding. Good progress is being made on the Study which is assessing the areas of Blackwater, Bunclody, Courtown, Gorey, Kilmore, New Ross & Environs and Wexford including the North & South Slobs.

Enniscorthy is an Area for Further Assessment (AFA) under the South Eastern CFRAM study. The flood relief scheme for this location will cover the River Slaney within the town centre. An area called Cherry Orchard is within Enniscorthy AFA and is located on the Urrin, a tributary of the Slaney. The South Eastern CFRAM Study has developed mapping and will pursue options to address flood risk, for the Cherry Orchard location, separate to the Flood Relief Scheme.

Flood Maps for these AFAs will be finalised shortly and are being informed by a local Public Consultation held in March 2015 and a Statutory Public Consultation that closed in December 2015.

Work on the identification of appropriate and feasible flood risk management options is underway. A local Public Consultation on the options for Wexford and the North and South Slobs was held on 15December and local consultations for other Co. Wexford AFAs are being scheduled for the coming weeks. Further information is available on .

Following the identification of feasible flood risk management options, Flood Risk Management Plans will be prepared and published for public consultation during summer 2016. The Plans will set out specific measures to address the significant flood risk factors in a proactive and comprehensive way. The Government recently announced €430m for capital flood relief works as part of the overall Capital Investment Plan 2016-2021. This increased level of funding will allow for the prioritised investment for the Flood Risk Management Plans over the coming years.

Identifying and addressing localised flooding is a matter for Wexford County Council in the first instance. It is open to the Council to undertake any local flood mitigation works using its own resources or to submit an application for funding, if necessary, under the Office of Public Works (OPW) Minor Flood Mitigation Works & Coastal Protection Scheme. Any application received will be assessed under the scheme's eligibility criteria available on the OPW website, .

The OPW carries out its own programme of Arterial Drainage Maintenance in the county. These maintenance works relate to arterial drainage schemes (Ballyteigue/Kilmore and Owenavarragh) completed by the OPW under the Arterial Drainage Acts 1945 and 1995, whose purpose was primarily to improve the drainage of agricultural lands. Wexford County Council is responsible for the ongoing maintenance of certain watercourses within Drainage Districts in the county for arterial drainage works completed prior to 1945.

Mick Wallace (Wexford, Independent)
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173. To ask the Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform if he will introduce a grant scheme for flood relief and prevention measures for households and businesses; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [2003/16]

Simon Harris (Wicklow, Fine Gael)
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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 Interdepartmental Flood Policy Co-ordination Group is considering the potential costs and benefits associated with any targeted individual property protection scheme that could benefit those isolated properties, as distinct from the community based approach being piloted.

Evaluation of these pilots and the work by the Interdepartmental Co-ordination Group will, in time, inform Government of the merits of any possible targeted grant scheme for flood relief and prevention measures for households and businesses.