Jennifer Murnane O'Connor (Carlow-Kilkenny, Fianna Fail)
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37. To ask the Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform the status of the development of a flood relief scheme on the border of counties Carlow and Kilkenny. [16804/20]

Patrick O'Donovan (Limerick County, Fine Gael)
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There is currently in place a joint Kilkenny County Council and OPW steering group for delivery of all flood relief schemes in County Kilkenny.

Consultants were appointed in March, 2020 to identify a flood relief scheme that is technically, socially, environmentally and economically acceptable, to alleviate the risk of flooding to the Community of Graiguenamanagh/Tinnahinch. The Graiguenamanagh/Tinnahinch Flood Relief Scheme is currently at Stage 1 “Scheme Development and Preliminary Design”.

Due to Covid-19 restrictions a virtual Public Consultation Day was hosted by Kilkenny County Council on the 18^thJune, 2020 with a closing date for submissions by 9^thJuly, 2020.

A Project Website has been developed and will be updated as the project progresses.

The proposed measures for Graiguenamanagh/Tinnahinch consist of building hard defences with ‘at–risk’ properties being protected by a series of embankments and walls, sheet piled where necessary and set back where possible from the river channel. Detailed project level design, Planning, Environmental Impact Assessment and project-level Habitats Directive (‘Appropriate’) Assessment must be undertaken in accordance with the relevant legislation as part of the progression of these proposed measures.