Éamon Ó Cuív (Galway West, Fianna Fail)
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318. To ask the Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform the flood relief works which have been carried out on the River Clare in County Galway as part of the Clare river, Claregalway, drainage scheme; the works which remain to be carried out; if flood relief works are proposed for Lisheenavallagh in Claregalway; when they will commence; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [6730/17]

Seán Canney (Galway East, Independent)
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Flood relief works are being carried out on the Clare River (Claregalway) Drainage Scheme (FRS) over a 3-year period with substantial completion expected to be achieved by the end of 2018. Works are currently being progressed by the Office of Public Works' (OPW') direct labour force which has a lot of experience in undertaking such works in environmentally sensitive areas.

In recognition of the significant flooding problems in the area it was agreed to proceed with interim measures to reduce flood risk and by 2012, the following remedial works were successfully completed in advance of the main scheme works:

- Construction of flood eye at Claregalway Bridge

- Construction of new bridge at Crusheeney.

Works on the main scheme commenced in June 2016 with the construction of a drainage pipeline in the Lakeview area and with deepening of the channel bed upstream, under and downstream of the Claregalway Bridge and Flood Eye.

The following works have also been carried out:

- Selective channel maintenance along the Clare River from Lough Corrib towards Cregmore Bridge, has been substantially completed. Some localised rock removal to be undertaken at select locations at a later stage as required.

- In Miontach South all archaeological trenching has been completed along the footprint of the works area and suitable road build up material has been accumulated at Claregalway to facilitate road raising works.

- A contractor has completed works to remove the tree-line along the edge of the Miontach South road.

- The consulting engineers are currently finalising some key elements of the detailed design for road raising works at Miontach South. While these works are weather dependent, it is expected that they will commence in early March 2017.

- OPW in consultation with Galway Co. Council have given an undertaking that they will carry out temporary emergency road raising for local access should it be required due to extreme flood events.

- The gap in the wall at “An Mhainistir” housing estate has been addressed and a local embankment at nine arches bridge together with infilling in part of the old river channel has been completed.

- Works on re-grading the channel upstream, under and downstream of Claregalway Bridge, together with re-grading the new flood eye were substantially completed in 2016. Some outstanding rock removal from the channel bed downstream, under the footprint of the cofferdam will be removed this Summer in conjunction with agreed Environmental River Enhancement Works and necessary realignment of the southern bank for a short distance immediately downstream of the Flood Eye.

- Works on the Kiniska (Cin Uisce) tributary which includes channel maintenance, bank protection and bridge upgrading works are presently in progress and are expected to be completed in early March 2017.

Works in the Caherlea/Lisheenavalla area commenced with the replacement of the existing bridge at Crusheeny by OPW as part of the advance works associated with the flood relief scheme in 2012. Further works to be carried out in this area include:

- Channel widening from 1.3 km upstream of Crusheeny Bridge to immediately downstream of Crusheeny Bridge to form a two stage channel is due to commence in late April 2017.

- Cleaning and regrading of the Islandmore Drain, also due for completion this year.

- Construction of an embankment along the southern bank of the Clare River from 1.3 km upstream of Crusheeny Bridge to the Islandmore Drain to include the installation of a non-return valve on the discharge from the Islandmore drain will also commence this year in conjunction with the two stage channel works.

- The remaining works which will include, road raising in Miontach North and construction of the Carnmore/Cashla flood alleviation pipeline will be carried out in 2018.

- Raising the road locally in Caherlea/Lisheenavalla may also be undertaken as a future measure if considered necessary.