Jackie Cahill (Tipperary, Fianna Fail)
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330. To ask the Minister for Housing, Planning, and Local Government the powers county councils and the CEO of each have in relation to carrying out emergency works to prevent flooding; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [9080/22]

Darragh O'Brien (Dublin Fingal, Fianna Fail)
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In September 2004, Government approved a national flood risk policy which assigned OPW the lead role for flood risk management and mitigation. The OPW is responsible for overseeing Ireland’s approach to flood risk management across three strategic and policy areas, i.e. prevention, protection and preparedness.

The 2004 report also acknowledged that the primary concern of my Department in relation to flooding, is to ensure that when adverse conditions arise, local authorities (including the fire services) are able to respond promptly and effectively to help offset the worst effects in relation to those aspects for which they have direct responsibility.

There are three main flooding threats:

- Fluvial (river)

- Tidal

- Pluvial (rainfall)

My Department is designated as the Lead Government Department for response to flooding with the Office of Public Works (OPW) having responsibility for flood prevention and mitigation. The National Directorate for Fire & Emergency Management (NDFEM) of my Department, working with Met Éireann and OPW, monitor weather conditions on an on-going basis. NDFEM staff co-ordinate the response to flooding at national level, when required, supporting local authorities.

Local authorities are designated as a principal response agency as well as being 'lead agency' for coordinating the local response to flooding emergencies as per the Government decision relating to the “Framework for Major Emergency Management” (2006). Local authorities prioritise life safety when responding to flooding emergencies. Protection of critical infrastructure, property and transport routes are also key objectives in any response to flooding.

My Department works with relevant stakeholders as appropriate, including Met Éireann, OPW, local authorities, relevant Departments and ESB to ensure a co-ordinated response to each flooding event. This response mechanism has been evidenced in recent flooding events.

Since 2009, my Department has made financial support, amounting to over €94million available to assist local authorities in meeting the un-budgeted costs of clean-up and necessary immediate works, such as staff overtime and hire of plant and contractors, associated with significant severe weather emergency events, including flooding. This is in recognition of the exceptional nature of activities carried out by local authorities in responding to these types of emergencies and the fact that the costs of these un-programmed activities cannot be met from within existing resources. This practice is considered a vital enabler of local authority response, providing the assurance that availability of resources is not a limiting factor in providing effective local response.

The arrangements for emergency management have evolved and, when called upon, are seen as having worked well, in particular the responses to flooding and other severe weather emergencies led by local authorities. All local authorities have Severe Weather/ Flood Plans in place to support the response to weather emergencies as part of their individual Major Emergency Plans. Local authorities also have a Severe Weather Assessment Team in place, monitoring Met Éireann weather warnings and OPW and EFAS flood advisory/ warnings and High Tide Advisories.

My Department's Lead Government Department role includes the preparation of review reports into the response to flooding emergencies where national level coordination is activated. The most recent is the Review Report on Severe Weather Events 2017-2018, published in December 2019. The 2019 report was considered by the Government Task Force for Emergency Management. My Department has implemented the recommendations relating to the Local Government sector fully.

As outlined above, my Department’s role in relation to flooding has been designated as coordinating the response when flooding does occur, with OPW as the lead organisation for flood risk management in Ireland.