Willie Penrose (Longford-Westmeath, Labour)
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124. To ask the Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform if his Department is liaising with Westmeath County Council with a view to putting in place an appropriate flood relief scheme for Mullingar, County Westmeath, with a view to ensuring that adequate protection is put in place for Mullingar and its environs; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [14679/18]

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, which is being undertaken by engineering consultants on behalf of the OPW working in partnership with the local authorities, involves the production of predictive flood mapping, the development of preliminary flood risk management options and the production of Flood Risk Management Plans.

The Plans are one of the outputs from the CFRAM Programme that is being delivered by the OPW in partnership with all local authorities, including Westmeath County Council.

Mullingar was studied as part of the Shannon (CFRAM) Programme. The proposed measure outlined in the Flood Risk Management Plan for Mullingar is to provide ongoing maintenance to the existing Mullingar Flood Relief Scheme which was completed in 2010.

In Summer 2017, the OPW finalised and submitted the Plans to the Department of Public Expenditure and Reform for an independent review of the environmental assessments. Having received the outcomes of the independent, the Commissioners of Public Works have submitted the Flood Risk Management Plans to the Minister for Finance and Public Expenditure and Reform for approval.