Fergus O'Dowd (Louth, Fine Gael)
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194. To ask the Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform the OPW's flood relief works and plans in respect of the east Meath and Louth constituency; the cost of such works; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [18881/17]

Seán Canney (Galway East, Independent)
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I am advised that construction commenced on the Northlands Estate, Bettystown Flood Relief works in late October 2016 with an estimated construction cost of €1.5m and will take an approximately 1 year to complete.

In 2016, the OPW approved funding of €511,200 under the Office of Public Works' (OPW) Minor Flood Mitigation Works and Coastal Protection scheme to Meath County Council for projects at Ashbourne and Woodtown, Co Meath.

In 2017, works commenced on the flood relief scheme at Bellurgan, Co. Louth and is progressing well. In addition, the OPW approved funding of €14,400 under the Office of Public Works' (OPW) Minor Flood Mitigation Works and Coastal Protection scheme to Louth County Council for a project at Rampark, Lordship, Co. Louth.

The OPW carries out its own programme of Arterial Drainage Maintenance to a total of 11,500km of river channel and approximately 730km of embankments nationally. These maintenance works relate to arterial drainage schemes completed by the OPW under the Arterial Drainage Acts 1945, whose purpose was primarily to improve the drainage of agricultural lands. The OPW has a statutory duty to maintain the completed schemes in proper repair and in an effective condition. The annual maintenance programme typically involves some clearance of vegetation and removal of silt build-up on an average five-yearly cycle.

During 2016 maintenance works was carried out on approx. 4km of the Mornington channel and also the Northlands channel.

The core strategy for addressing significant flood risks nationally is the Catchment Flood Risk Assessment and Management (CFRAM) Programme. For the purposes of the national Programme, the country has been divided into regional study areas based on river basin districts.

The following towns in Co. Louth, Annagassan, Ardee, Baltray, Blackrock South, Carlingford and Greenore, Dundalk, Termonfeckin and Drogheda, towns in Co. Meath, Ashbourne, Athboy, Ballivor, Bettystown, Clonee, Duleek, Dunboyne, Gormanston, Longwood, Mornington, Navan, Ratoath, and Trim have been identified as Areas for Further Assessment (AFA) under the CFRAM Programme. Flood maps and a range of options for managing the flood risk in these towns were presented to the public for consultation at local Public Consultation Days held during the end of last year.

The current position regarding the CFRAM Study is that flood risk management plans are now being finalised, taking account of the submissions made through the public consultation held in 2016. When this process is completed, scheduled for Spring 2017, a prioritised list of feasible measures, both structural and non-structural, will be drawn up to address flood risk in an environmentally sustainable and cost effective manner. The Plans will then be submitted for approval by the Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform and subsequently for the adoption by the Local Authorities.