Patrick O'Donovan (Limerick County, Fine Gael)
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The Government has committed €1.3 billion to the delivery of flood relief schemes over the lifetime of the National Development Plan 2021 – 2030 to protect approximately 23,000 properties in communities that are under threat from river and coastal flood risk. Since 2018, as part of a phased approach to scheme delivery, this funding has allowed the OPW, in partnership with local authorities throughout the country, to treble the number of schemes at design, planning and construction to some 98 schemes at this time.

There are 52 Schemes at Stage I: Scheme Development and Preliminary Design / Preliminary Business Case. Some significant flood relief schemes at the development and preliminary design stage include: Enniscorthy Flood Relief Scheme; Limerick City & Environs Flood Relief Scheme; Dundalk & Ardee Flood Relief Scheme; and Midleton Flood Relief Scheme.

The figures also include four Tranche II Pilot Schemes – two in Donegal and two in Kilkenny. The pilot, which was announced in May 2023, is in response to engagement between OPW and Local Authorities to agree a planned national approach to future schemes that matches return on investment from the available capacity between the local authorities and OPW. Consequently, a new delivery model for flood relief schemes is being piloted which will better inform the future Tranche II schemes delivery.

There are three flood relief schemes at Stage II: Public Exhibition / Confirmation including Bride River (Blackpool) Flood Relief Scheme; Lower Lee Flood Relief Scheme; and Raphoe Flood Relief Scheme.

There are six Schemes at Stage III: Detailed Design, including Arklow Flood Relief Scheme, in Co. Wicklow, and King’s Island Flood Relief Scheme, in Co. Limerick, each with total project budgets of over €50m.

There are seven schemes at Stage IV: Implementation/Construction. These include the Athlone Flood Relief Scheme; Glashaboy Flood Relief Scheme; and Templemore Flood Relief Scheme.

In addition to these 68 major Flood Relief Schemes, there are 30 'Small Projects' which are being progressed individually by the relevant Local Authority with funding from the Office of Public Works.

To date, 53 schemes have been completed, which are providing protection to over 12,000 properties and an economic benefit to the State in damage and losses avoided estimated to be in the region of €1.9 billion. Consequently, work to protect 80% of all at-risk properties nationally is completed or underway.

In addition to the flood relief schemes noted above, the OPW Minor Flood Mitigation Works & Coastal Protection Scheme provides funding to Local Authorities to undertake minor flood mitigation or coastal protection works or studies to address localised flooding and/or coastal protection problems within their administrative areas. This scheme provides 90% funding to local authorities to manage localised flood risk.