Michael Healy-Rae (Kerry, Independent)
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330. To ask the Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform the reason the Office of Public Works deemed an area as a flood area (details supplied), given that it has never experienced floods; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [17030/16]

Seán Canney (Galway East, Independent)
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The core strategy for addressing the significant flood risks nationally, in Tralee and in the Shannon River Basin District generally, is the Office of Public Works' (OPW) Catchment Flood Risk Assessment and Management (CFRAM) Programme.

In 2011 the OPW completed a national screening exercise, called the Preliminary Flood Risk Assessment (PFRA), which identified 300 areas for further assessment (AFAs), that were potentially, at the most significant risk from flooding. As part of the PFRA a national public consultation process took place.

Tralee, including the area of Ballinorig, is one of 66 locations in the Shannon River Basin District and 300 locations nationwide that are being assessed under the Programme the purpose of which is to implement the EU Floods Directive and national flood policy.

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 Shannon CFRAM Study, draft predictive flood maps for Tralee have been produced and were the subject of a Public Consultation Day in Tralee on 24th March 2015. A further Public Consultation Day was held in Tralee on 1st October 2015 to present and discuss preliminary options to manage the significant flood risks.

The draft flood mapping is now being finalised following completion of the national statutory public consultation on 23rd December, 2015. Work on the development of preliminary options to address flood risk is underway. Following finalisation of the mapping and the identification of 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 draft Plans are scheduled to be made available for public consultation from mid-2016. Following the public consultation process the finalised Plans will include a prioritised list of measures, both structural and non-structural, to address flood risk in an environmentally sustainable and cost effective manner.

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.