Holly Cairns (Cork South West, Social Democrats)
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54. To ask the Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform if he will provide an update on the Bantry flood relief scheme. [23546/23]

Patrick O'Donovan (Limerick County, Fine Gael)
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The Flood Risk Management Plans launched in May 2018 included a recommendation to progress the design, planning and construction of a flood relief scheme for Bantry. A Steering Group, comprising of representatives from the Office of Public Works and Cork County Council, is in place to progress this Flood Relief Scheme to protect some 198 properties.   

In February 2022, J.B. Barry and Partners Ltd., in a joint venture with JBA Consulting Ltd were appointed by Cork County Council as engineering and environmental consultants to carry out the design of a viable scheme for the town. The scheme development and design is progressing with environmental surveys continuing in the area. Topographical surveys (including river and threshold surveys) were undertaken in 2022. The hydrological modelling is largely complete and hydraulic modelling is ongoing. Monitoring equipment including an additional rain gauge and river level gauge were installed in December 2022 and January 2023 respectively. A Ground Investigation contract, which included works related to the Bantry Mill Culvert Project, was completed on site between January 2023 and April 2023. 

Consultation with statutory and non-statutory bodies, as well as the public, is taking place at the appropriate stages to ensure that all stakeholders have the opportunity to input into the development of the scheme. A project website is available at ‘www.bantryfrs.ie’. A number of Public Participation Days (PPD) will be held throughout the delivery stages of the project. The initial PPD was held in May 2022. A second PPD is scheduled to take place in Q4 2023 when the public can provide feedback on the emerging flood relief options which will be presented by the project team.

In tandem with progressing this scheme, Cork County Council is to progress the repair and re-construction of a culvert on Main Street, called the Bantry Mill Culvert Upgrade Project. An application for a Section 50 has been submitted to the OPW for approval. Cork County Council is currently addressing some queries and once approval for the Section 50 is granted a tender for Consultancy Services for the detailed design and construction of the culvert will be advertised. The culvert has been identified as a significant element contributing to flooding on Main Street, New Street and north and south of Wolfe Tone Square in recent months.  The OPW and Cork County Council are liaising on the integration of these works with the flood relief scheme for the town.

Under the OPW Minor Flood Mitigation Works and Coastal Protection (Minor Works) Scheme my office approved a total of €183,917 in funding to Cork County Council for interim works to mitigate flooding in Bantry. The installation of non-return valves on gullies and the storm pipe non-return valves have been completed. There has also been high capacity mobile pumps and sandbags purchased for deployment by the local authority area office ahead of forecasted extreme weather and/or high tide events.    

Separately, Cork County Council is working on developing an Individual Property Protection Scheme for Bantry. Expressions of interest for the scheme were requested, with positive responses received. Surveys of the properties which would benefit from Individual Property Protection are ongoing. These surveys need to be completed before issuing agreements for signing to all interested property owners. Once this has been completed, Cork County Council can make a further application for additional funding under the OPW Minor Works scheme. 

Holly Cairns (Cork South West, Social Democrats)
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55. To ask the Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform if he will provide an update on the Skibbereen flood relief scheme. [23547/23]

Patrick O'Donovan (Limerick County, Fine Gael)
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The Skibbereen Flood Relief Scheme was substantially completed on 6^thJune 2019.

Planning for the operation and maintenance of the scheme is ongoing in conjunction with Cork County Council, who will act as agents of the OPW in carrying out the statutory operation and maintenance of the scheme.  A small number of works to address elements identified during construction and since completion of the scheme works, which were outside the main construction contract, remain to be completed and are being progressed in separate works packages.

A length of flood defence wall upstream of the footbridge in the town centre remains to be constructed, which will facilitate flood defence at a high level (for relatively rare floods) for the adjacent apartments and the town centre, as well as for a proposed future public walkway, being proposed by Cork County Council.  Cork County Council is continuing to engage with the owners of a property located on Levis Quay to gain the relevant consents to construct a river walkway when completing a section of sheet piled flood protection wall on the left bank of the River Ilen. It is expected that the cost for this remaining work will be shared between Cork County Council and the OPW.

In addition, some drainage works on the N71 Cork Road, which fall outside the remit of the main scheme, have subsequently been identified as being necessary.  These works are being progressed in conjunction with Transport Infrastructure Ireland (TII) and some funding is being provided by the OPW under its Minor Flood Mitigation Works & Coastal Protection Scheme.

As part of the main flood relief scheme, follow-on works are being progressed at two culverts, on Mill Road.  In addition, discrete sections of rock revetments are to be installed.

All of the above works are programmed to take place in 2023 subject to planning and procurement.