Kevin Moran (Longford-Westmeath, Independent)
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The Shannon Flood Risk State Agency Co-ordination Working Group was established in early 2016 by the Government to support existing plans in place and planned to address flooding and to enhance the ongoing co-operation of all state agencies involved with the River Shannon.  The Group was established, at that time, following severe flooding arising from exceptional weather conditions from December, 2015 to January, 2016. 

On its establishment, a priority for the Group was to develop a Work Programme that demonstrated the extensive range of activities and co-ordination by all State Agencies already underway to jointly and proactively address flood risk along the Shannon. The Group’s Annual Work Programmes are available to the public at www.opw.ie.

The Group has taken a number of significant decisions since its establishment including a plan for targeted maintenance activities along the River Shannon.  Following receipt of consent from the National Parks and Wildlife Service, work involving tree cutting and the removal of silt and emergent vegetation was undertaken at five locations during the appropriate seasonal windows.   

The annual expenditure for this targeted maintenance work for the years 2017-2019 is broken down as follows:

- 2017: €94,000

- 2018: €21,500

- 2019: 128,200

In January 2020, Mr. Kevin ‘Boxer’ Moran TD, Minister of State with special responsibility for the Office of Public Works and Flood Relief, announced that he has secured government support for €7 million investment to advance a planned programme of maintenance works and the removal of constrictions or ‘pinch points’ on the bed of the River Shannon at the Callows Region between Athlone and Meelick Weir to improve the conveyancing of the River Shannon. This investment will, following full environmental assessment and planning, as well as helping to mitigate Summer, low level, flooding, support the tourism, navigation and agricultural sectors for this region.

Kevin Moran (Longford-Westmeath, Independent)
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The Shannon Flood Risk State Agency Co-ordination Working Group was established in early 2016 by the Government to enhance ongoing co-operation of all State agencies involved with the River Shannon and to add value to the Catchment Flood Risk Assessment and Management (CFRAM) Programme.

In October 2016, the Group took a decision to trial the lowering of the lake levels on Lough Allen, within the existing statutory framework, during the Winter period to help mitigate potential flood risk. 

A protocol was finalised between ESB, Waterways Ireland and the OPW to lower the late Autumn and Winter minimum lake levels by approximately 0.7 metres.  The first reduction was implemented in October 2016 and the trial has been underway since that time, subject to specified weather conditions. 

In 2019, the ESB arranged for an assessment of the impacts of operating the agreed protocol on Lough Allen levels and discharges using 20 years of historical data.  This assessment identified certain benefits to managing flood risk arising from the trial. 

At its meeting on 31^stOctober 2019, the Group agreed to continue with its implementation, on a temporary basis, in the context of the overall flood risk management plans for the area which includes a flood relief scheme for Carrick-on-Shannon.

Kevin Moran (Longford-Westmeath, Independent)
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The Interdepartmental Flood Policy Co-ordination Group, established to support the OPW’s Catchment Flood Risk Assessment and Management (CFRAM) Programme, was reconvened in July 2015.  The purpose of the co-ordination Group is to have regard to the extent of non-structural solutions that will inform the ten-year implementation strategy of the Flood Risk Management Plans arising from the CFRAM study and to ensure that policies that can benefit communities and individuals directly – to be prepared for and respond to or live with flood risk – are carefully considered. 

In November 2016, the Government agreed an interim report from the Interdepartmental Flood Policy Coordination Group setting out progress on its work and making appropriate recommendations for consideration by Government. This report can be accessed atwww.gov.ie/en/publication/5fa6b9-inter-departmental-flood-policy-coordination-group/.

The Group met four times in 2016, once in 2017, twice in 2018 and twice in 2019. The next meeting of the Group will take place in Q2 this year.

Kevin Moran (Longford-Westmeath, Independent)
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As part of the overall response to Flood Risk Management, the Government agreed to the establishment of a National Flood Forecasting and Warning Service (NFFWS).  The service will deal with flood forecasting from both fluvial (river) and coastal sources. When fully operational, it will involve the issuing of flood forecasts and general alerts. 

A Steering Group, chaired by the OPW, has been established to steer, support and oversee the establishment of the new service. The Steering Group includes representatives from the Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government (DHPLG), Met Éireann and the Local Authorities.  There are a number of subgroups reporting to the Steering Group which deal with technical, communications and legal issues. The Steering Group has met on twenty-one occasions.  To date, eight specialist staff have been recruited for Met Eireann which include five Hydrometeorologists and one Chief Hydroeteorologist. Further recruitment is ongoing to fill other specialised posts.  In the interim period, existing flood forecasting and warning systems and arrangements are being maintained.

Kevin Moran (Longford-Westmeath, Independent)
Link to this: Individually | In context | Oireachtas source

The Shannon Flood Risk State Agency Co-ordination Working Group was established in early 2016 by the Government to support existing plans in place and planned to address flooding and to enhance the ongoing co-operation of all state agencies involved with the River Shannon.  The Group was established, at that time, following severe flooding arising from exceptional weather conditions from December, 2015 to January, 2016. 

The Group publishes an Annual Work Programme that demonstrates the extensive range of activities and co-ordination by all State Agencies underway to jointly and proactively address flood risk along the Shannon. These Work Programmes are  available at www.opw.ie.

The Group has taken a number of significant decisions since its establishment, including targeted maintenance activities at a number of locations, trialling the lowering of the levels on Lough Allen, studies to explore managing flood risk at the Callows and a study on the cause, degree and rate of restriction downstream of Parteen Weir. 

In January 2020, Mr. Kevin ‘Boxer’ Moran TD, Minister of State with special responsibility for the Office of Public Works and Flood Relief, announced that he has secured government support for €7 million investment to advance a planned programme of maintenance works and the removal of constrictions or ‘pinch points’ on the bed of the River Shannon at the Callows Region between Athlone and Meelick Weir to improve the conveyancing of the River Shannon. This investment, following full environmental assessment and planning, as well as helping to mitigate Summer, low level, flooding to support the tourism, navigation and agricultural sectors for this region.

The Group met on five occasions during its first year of establishment in 2016. In 2017, it established a Sub Committee on Work Programme and Measures.  The Sub Committee typically meets between each meeting of the main Group.  Additional meetings are held to progress work measures as necessary.  The main Group has met bi-annually, once in Autumn to review the Work Programme and once in Spring to assess progress and issues arising during the Winter period.  The next meeting of the Group will be held on 30th April, 2020.  This will be the 12th meeting of the Group.