Kevin O'Keeffe (Cork East, Fianna Fail)
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26. To ask the Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform when a project (details supplied) in County Cork will be completed. [7908/16]

Simon Harris (Wicklow, Fine Gael)
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Local flooding issues are, in the first instance, a matter for each local authority to investigate and address. They may carry out flood alleviation works from their own resources or apply to the Office of Public Works (OPW) for funding 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 flood mitigation works or studies 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. Any application received will be considered in accordance with the scheme eligibility criteria, which comprise economic, social and environmental criteria including a requirement that any measures are cost beneficial, and having regard to the overall availability of resources for flood risk management.

No applications for funding from Cork County Council are currently to hand in the OPW, concerning the works referenced.

The core strategy for addressing areas of potentially significant flood risk nationally is the Office of Public Works' (OPW) Catchment Flood Risk Assessment and Management (CFRAM) Programme. Youghal is one of 300 Areas for Further Assessment (AFAs) nationwide that are being assessed. The Programme, which is being undertaken by engineering consultants on behalf of the OPW, working in partnership with the local authorities, involves the production of predictive flood mapping for each location, the development of preliminary flood risk management options and the production of flood risk management plans.

Under the South West CFRAM Study, draft predictive flood maps for Youghal AFA have been produced and were the subject of a Public Consultation Day in Youghal on 14 January, 2015. The draft maps are now being finalised following the conclusion of the national statutory public consultation process on 23 December, 2015. A further Public Consultation Day was held in Youghal on 10 March, 2016 to present and discuss preliminary options to manage the significant flood risks identified. Following finalisation of the flood mapping and the identification of preliminary 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, which are scheduled for completion by the end of 2016, 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.

The Government recently announced increased levels of investment in the area of flood relief as part of the overall Capital Investment Plan 2016-2021 and this investment programme will allow for consideration of measures arising from the Flood Risk Management Plans.