Brendan Smith (Cavan-Monaghan, Fianna Fail)
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40. To ask the Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform if further consideration to an amendment of the Arterial Drainage Act 1945 will include additional waterways including the River Erne system in County Cavan; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [2557/22]

Patrick O'Donovan (Limerick County, Fine Gael)
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Historically, flood risk management focused on the arterial drainage of river catchments to improve agricultural land. Maintenance of Arterial and Drainage District channels, designated under the Arterial Drainage Act 1945, is the responsibility of the OPW and Local Authorities respectively. These include the maintenance by the OPW of the Boyne, Inny and Glyde-and-Dee Arterial Drainage Schemes in County Cavan. Parts of the Erne Catchment are a Drainage District for which the Local Authority is responsible for ongoing maintenance.

In 1995, due to increased urban flooding, the Arterial Drainage Act 1945 was amended to facilitate the OPW’s implementation of localised flood relief schemes to provide flood protection to cities, towns and villages.

The launch of the Flood Risk Management Plans in May 2018, following the largest ever study of flood risk in Ireland, identified that Government investment is feasible to protect 95 percent of properties at assessed risk from significant flooding through flood relief schemes. The Plans included a flood relief scheme for Cavan Town and this is currently being developed by Cavan County Council with funding from the OPW. The tender deadline for Consultant Engineers on the project was 29 October 2021. Tender submissions have been assessed with a view to the appointment of a successful tenderer in the coming weeks.

The OPW has no plans for further catchment-wide arterial drainage schemes. However, to target the management of flood risk outside of cities, towns and villages, in 2009 the OPW introduced the Minor Flood Mitigation Works & Coastal Protection Scheme. The purpose of this Scheme is to provide funding to Local Authorities to undertake flood mitigation works or studies to address localised flooding and coastal protection problems within their administrative areas. The OPW approved funding of €75,600 to Cavan County Council in 2020 for 6 projects at Aghadreenagh, Redhills; Ballyhaise, Cavan Road; Drumliff, Ballyhaise; Knockateery, Cloverhills; Ballyhaise Pitch & Mullinavanague, Redhills.