Michael Healy-Rae (Kerry, Independent)
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143. To ask the Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform the status of planned works at Rahoonagh Strand, Ballybunion, County Kerry (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [18926/16]

Seán Canney (Galway East, Independent)
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The River Feale Catchment Drainage Scheme (CDS) was constructed by the Office of Public Works (OPW) during the 1950s, and OPW continues to have a statutory responsibility for maintenance of the scheme.

The River Feale at Rahoonagh is strongly influenced by the tide and is contained within the river cross-section by an earthen Flood Defence Embankment Scheme. Following extreme and repeated storm surges experienced on the River Feale Estuary in 2014, several dwellings at Rahoonagh were inundated by tidal flooding. These properties were constructed since the completion of the Feale CDS. Consequently, the OPW undertook to improve the flood defences at this location by extending an existing OPW Earthen Flood Defence Embankment by approximately 500 metres and tying it into adjacent higher ground. This was necessary to provide protection to these vulnerable dwellings which experienced flooding in 2014.

Following several meetings and protracted negotiations, OPW obtained consent from a local landowner to enter his property to carry out the necessary works. In recognition of this consent, OPW agreed to extend the flood defence by a further 250 metres to provide protection against tidal inundation of this person’s farmland. This work has been completed. In common with many other flood defence assets in Co. Kerry, this embankment was damaged by Storm Imogen in February 2016. OPW intends to carry out necessary repair work and is currently in communication with the National Parks & Wildlife Service on the matter. NPWS consent is necessary as the site lies within a designated Special Area of Conservation and proposed National Heritage Area.

I understand that the landowner concerned has sought a further extension of the flood defence embankment which would provide protection to a section of land that is only vulnerable to tidal inundation in very extreme events. OPW would not be justified in further extending the embankment.