Dessie Ellis (Dublin North West, Sinn Fein)
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180. To ask the Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform to outline the measures in place to alleviate the losses to local businesses in County Dublin, in particular, in the Dublin 2 and 4 areas, should these areas experience flooding in the future. [2231/16]

Simon Harris (Wicklow, Fine Gael)
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The risk of flooding in the specific areas mentioned is being addressed currently by the Office of Public Works (OPW) and Dublin City Council (DCC) working in partnership. There are currently two major flood relief schemes being undertaken in the specific areas mentioned, the largest being the scheme on the River Dodder where works have been completed on the tidal section and works are ongoing on the section at risk from fluvial flooding. Significant works and investment have been undertaken to date on this scheme with further works continuing into 2017. Another scheme on the South Campshires (Sir John Rogerson’s Quay) in the City commenced in 2014 and will be completed later this year. Both these schemes are being undertaken with DCC acting as the Contracting Authority and the OPW acting as the funding agency and undertaking the works using its direct labour force.

Other schemes have been completed in recent years on the River Tolka and on a section of the River Wad. There are also a number of Schemes in the early stages of planning for the City and County which involve a partnership with all the relevant local authorities and these include the Rivers Poddle and Camac in the City and projects for Portmarnock and Skerries on which Fingal County Council will take the lead.

The details of the flood defence scheme works already completed in the areas in question have been provided to insurance companies as part of the arrangements agreed between the OPW and Insurance Ireland under a Memorandum of Understanding of March 2014. The insurance companies have agreed to take these works into account in the provision of flood insurance cover in the areas benefitting from the works. This should allow businesses in the areas in question to obtain flood insurance cover at affordable rates. Under the Memorandum of Understanding, the details of the flood relief schemes currently under construction and those yet to commence, will, when completed, be provided to the insurance companies also.

The management of flood risk in Dublin city and county is being addressed also in a comprehensive way under the OPW’s Catchment Flood Risk Assessment and Management (CFRAM) Programme for the East Region. Good progress is being made on the East CFRAM Project which is a part of the overall national CFRAM Programme which, in turn, is the principal vehicle for implementing the EU Floods Directive and forms the strategic focus of national flood risk management policy. The national Programme is focusing on 300 Areas for Further Assessment (AFAs), including 90 coastal areas, identified as being at potentially significant risk from flooding. The CFRAM Programme, which includes the assessment of a number of river catchment areas within Co. Dublin, 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 containing a prioritised list of measures to address in a comprehensive and sustainable way the significant flood risks identified. 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, Flood Risk Management Plans have been produced for the Fingal-East Meath and River Dodder catchment Study areas. The Eastern CFRAM Study is assessing the remaining identified significant flood risk areas in Co. Dublin. Draft mapping is now being finalised following conclusion of the national statutory public consultation on 23 December 2015. Work on the development of preliminary options to address the significant flood risks identified is underway. Following the finalisation of the flood mapping and the identification of flood risk management options, the Eastern CFRAM Flood Risk Management Plans are scheduled to be published for public consultation during summer 2016 and completed at end 2016. Further information on the Programme is available on www.cfram.ie. Considerable work is being undertaken therefore to protect businesses in Dublin city and county from future flooding and associated losses. Should a future flooding event result in the question of financial assistance for businesses affected arising, this will be a matter for consideration by Government at that time.