Pauline Tully (Cavan-Monaghan, Sinn Fein)
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863. To ask the Minister for Housing, Planning, and Local Government to detail all the funding that is available for the cleaning and dredging of rivers here. [37735/23]

Darragh O'Brien (Dublin Fingal, Fianna Fail)
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My role and responsibilities as Minister do not extend to the maintenance, clearance or dredging of rivers nor does my Department provide funding for this.

I understand that the Office of Public Works (OPW) is the statutory body responsible for arterial drainage schemes under the Arterial Drainage Act 1945, as amended. The OPW also has responsibility for leading and co-ordinating the implementation of the National Flood Policy.

The 1945 Act also contains a number of provisions for the management of Drainage Districts, which is the responsibility of local authorities. In addition, local authorities have responsibilities with regard to ensuring water bodies meet their objectives under the Water Framework Directive.