Denis Naughten (Roscommon-Galway, Independent)
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174. To ask the Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform if he will facilitate the establishment of a taskforce to address the ongoing flooding risks at Lough Funshinagh, County Roscommon as outlined in motion no. 152/22 on the Order Paper of Dáil Éireann; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [49334/22]

Patrick O'Donovan (Limerick County, Fine Gael)
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Roscommon County Council is leading the response to the flooding risk at Lough Funshinagh, Co. Roscommon and a cross departmental and agency approach, which includes the Office of Public Works, the Department of Housing, Local Government and Heritage and National Parks & Wildlife Service is being adopted in relation to this matter.

On 18^thMay 2022, Mr. Joe Murphy, Cathaoirleach, Roscommon County Council and Mr. Eugene Cummins, CEO, Roscommon County Council wrote to me highlighting the policy and legislative issues that Roscommon County Council believed needed to be addressed and amended to allow the Council pursue works at Lough Funshinagh.

As many of these issues are within the remit of the Department of Housing, Local Government and Heritage, I referred these matters to Minister Darragh O’Brien T.D. for his early consideration and I highlighted that OPW officials were available to discuss these matters with his Department and with other key stakeholders, as may be appropriate. I also met with Minister Peter Burke T.D. and officials from his Department in this regard.

Under my direction senior officials from the OPW met with officials from Roscommon County Council on 20th June 2022 with those discussions focused on identifying possible approaches to a viable solution to manage the flooding risk at Lough Funshinagh. There is on-going engagement with the Council and other State agencies and further meetings are being scheduled to follow up on the matters discussed.

On 7^thJuly 2022, my officials and I met with representatives of the Lough Funshinagh Community and their elected representatives to hear their concerns and representations in relation to the situation at Lough Funshinagh and I reassured them of my continued support to finding a viable solution to the flooding risk at Lough Funshinagh.

I can assure the Deputy that I am doing all that I can to support both the community and Roscommon County Council in progressing this matter to find an effective and sustainable solution to address the flooding risk in the area.