Ciarán Cannon (Galway East, Fine Gael)
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721. To ask the Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform if the Office of Public Works has received an application for minor works flood relief funding for a flood relief project at Station Road, Ballinasloe, County Galway; and if so, when the funding will be made available. [41181/16]

Seán Canney (Galway East, Independent)
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No application has been received from Galway County Council under the Office of Public Works's Minor Flood Mitigation Works and Coastal Protection Scheme for the area mentioned in the Deputy’s question.

Significant funding of €2.0 million approximately under the Minor Works scheme has been approved to date for various flood relief measures in Ballinasloe and its environs and this has provided valuable protection to many households and businesses.

Ballinasloe is an Area for Further Assessment (AFA) within the Shannon CFRAM Study. Statutory public consultation on the draft Plans for the Shannon CFRAM study area took place between 15th July 2016 and 23rd September 2016.

The draft Plans sets out the proposed strategy, actions and measures that are considered to be the most appropriate following detailed modelling and appraisal of possible options for the flood risk management measures, including environmental assessment at the Plan level.

Priority is given to those measures set out in the Plans that have the greatest overall benefit based on a multi-criteria assessment.

The proposed measures for Ballinasloe set out in the draft Shannon Plan includes structural works at Station Road (embankment and wall). These works will be progressed as an integral part of the overall flood relief scheme for the Ballinasloe AFA.

Given the level of investment on flood relief works and studies already undertaken to date in Ballinasloe it would not be considered appropriate to progress measures under the Shannon CFRAM Plan for Station Road in advance of the overall scheme of works for the Ballinasloe AFA.