Joan Burton (Dublin West, Labour)
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184. To ask the Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform if the flood risk management plans including the eastern CFRAM have been finalised; if the Minister of State with responsibility for the Office of Public Works has submitted them to him for approval; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [2984/18]

Kevin Moran (Longford-Westmeath, Independent)
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The core strategy for addressing areas at potentially significant risk from flooding is the Office of Public Works (OPW) Catchment Flood Risk Assessment and Management (CFRAM) Programme. The Programme 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.

The CFRAM Programme focussed on 300 Areas for Further Assessment (AFAs) including 90 coastal areas, mainly in urban locations nationwide, identified as being at potentially significant risk of flooding. The proposed feasible measures, both structural and non-structural, identified for AFAs are outlined in the Flood Risk Management Plans.

The Draft Flood Risk Management Plans were published for public consultation in 2016 and a significant volume of submissions were received for consideration. In Summer 2017, the OPW finalised all Plans, including the Eastern CFRAM, and each Plan was submitted to the Department of Public Expenditure and Reform for an independent review of the environmental assessments. This independent review is nearing completion, after which the Final Plans will be formally submitted to the Minister for Finance and Public Expenditure and Reform for approval, in accordance with the statutory requirements.

I am in the process of seeking approval from the Minister for Finance and Public Expenditure and Reform for the Flood Risk Management Plans developed under the CFRAM process.

Joan Burton (Dublin West, Labour)
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185. To ask the Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform further to Parliamentary Question No. 258 of 11 September 2017, the information gathered from the installation of hydrometric gauges in the Hazelhatch and Celbridge areas of County Kildare; the further studies now being arranged based on the data gathered; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [2985/18]

Kevin Moran (Longford-Westmeath, Independent)
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The data gathered from the recently installed Hydrometric Gauge on the Hazelhatch Stream has assisted and informed the OPW and Kildare County Council engineers in analysing and identifying the causes of recent flooding in the area.

The OPW understands that the more frequent flooding experienced in the area was due to a blockage of the culverts at Willow Dale and Willow Avenue respectively. Some interim works already carried out by Kildare County Council will help to address this more frequent flooding but more works are required at the culverts at these locations to provide greater protection from the more frequent flooding that has been experienced. In this regard, I understand that Kildare County Council is considering lodging an application under the OPW Minor Flood Mitigation Works and Coastal Protection Scheme. This Scheme provides funding to Local Authorities to undertake works or studies, costing less than €750,000, to address localised flooding and coastal protection problems within their administrative areas. The Minor Works proposed in this area will involve site investigations and further assessment to examine the current conveyance capacity of the culvert at Willow Dale, and the replacement of the existing debris screen to the culvert at Willow Avenue. This work is intended to address and alleviate the more frequent flooding experienced at these locations, and will inform the next steps.

In Summer 2017, the OPW finalised the Catchment Flood Risk Assessment and Management (CFRAM) Programme. All Plans, including the Eastern CFRAM, were submitted to the Department of Public Expenditure and Reform for an independent review of the environmental assessments. This independent review is nearing completion, after which the Final Plans will be formally submitted to the Minister for Finance and Public Expenditure and Reform for approval in the coming weeks, in accordance with the statutory requirements.

In relation to further or future measures to address flood risk in this area, Kildare County Council and the OPW will continue to engage constructively in relation to the options for Celbridge/Hazelhatch identified in the East CFRAM study.