Michael Healy-Rae (Kerry South, Independent)
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61. To ask the Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform the status of flooding (details supplied) in County Kerry; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [2545/16]

Simon Harris (Wicklow, Fine Gael)
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I am advised by my officials that no damage has been reported to any of the OPW maintained embankments in the area referred to by the Deputy. This Office only has a statutory responsibility to maintain Catchment Drainage Schemes and Arterial Drainage Schemes carried out by this Office under the Arterial Drainage Acts 1945 and 1995.

Investigation of flooding, in the first instance, is a matter for each local authority to investigate and address. Kerry County Council may carry out flood mitigation works using its own resources. The Council may also apply to the Office of Public Works (OPW) for funding of flood mitigation works under the Minor Flood Mitigation Works and Coastal Protection Scheme. The purpose of this scheme is to provide funding to local authorities to undertake minor works to address localised flooding and coastal protection problems within their administrative areas. The scheme generally applies to relatively straightforward cases where a solution can be readily identified and achieved in a short time frame.

Under the scheme, applications are considered for projects that are estimated to cost no more than €500,000 in each instance. Funding of up to 90% of the cost is available for approved projects, with the balance being funded by the local authority concerned. Any application received will be considered in accordance with the scheme eligibility criteria, including a requirement that any measures are cost beneficial, and having regard to the overall availability of resources for flood risk management. Details are published on the OPW website www.opw.ie.

Moneycashen, which comprises parts of the townlands of Kilmore, Cloghane and Knoppoge in the Cashen area is currently subject to a detailed assessment being carried out by engineering consultants on behalf of the Office of Public Works, under the Shannon Catchment Flood Risk Assessment and Management (CFRAM) Study, in partnership with Kerry County Council. Draft Flood Mapping, produced under the Study, was the subject of a local Public Consultation Day on 24 September 2014. The draft Flood Mapping is now being finalised following completion of a national statutory public consultation on 23 December 2015. Work on the development of preliminary options to address the potentially significant flood risks identified in the Study area is under way. In that regard, a local Public Consultation Day was held on 30 September 2015. Following finalisation of the mapping and the identification of feasible flood risk management options, the outputs from this important Study will be published as part of an integrated Flood Risk Management Plan. Further information is available on the Study website .

The OPW is commissioning a feasibility study to deal with the issues arising on the tidal stretch of the Feale CDS which includes the Cashen.