David Stanton (Cork East, Fine Gael)
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131. To ask the Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform the reason the Water Rock area near Midleton, County Cork was not included in the proposed Midleton flood relief scheme, given that the area has experienced severe flooding in recent times; his plans, if any, to address this situation; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [39889/24]

Kieran O'Donnell (Limerick City, Fine Gael)
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Cork County Council is leading the delivery of the Midleton Flood Relief Scheme Midleton has proven to be one of the most complex schemes with flood risks from four sources; fluvial, tidal, groundwater and pluvial. The preferred option is now identified and, following Storm Babet, an assessment of the scheme design is complete, so that the community can be confident that the designed scheme will meet the standard of protection required by the insurance industry. Work is now ongoing on the environmental assessments that will support planning consent application for the scheme to be made by Cork County Council.

The options to manage the flood risk at Water Rock have formed part of the work on the scheme design for Midleton. While an economically viable option for Water Rock has not been identified, to be included as part of the overall scheme at this time, the scheme’s consultants are currently conducting further investigations into potential flood risk management measures that might provide flood mitigation in the Water Rock area. These investigations are ongoing and subject to review by the Scheme Steering Group.

On 4 October I announced that the OPW was allocating some €5.8m to Cork County Council for the introduction of Individual Property Scheme for those homes and businesses in Midleton and East Cork that flooded during Storm Babet in October 2023. This scheme is open to Water Rock area and the details of the scheme are available on Cork County Councils website. Applications for this scheme close on 11th November 2024.

Michael Healy-Rae (Kerry, Independent)
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132. To ask the Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform if work on a river in County Kerry will be expedited (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [39988/24]

Kieran O'Donnell (Limerick City, Fine Gael)
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The Office of Public Works (OPW) is responsible for the maintenance of Arterial Drainage Schemes and Flood Relief schemes completed under the Arterial Drainage Acts, 1945 and 1995 as amended. The area in question does not form part of an Arterial Drainage Scheme, therefore the OPW has no responsibility for the maintenance of the channel, nor any authority to carry out any works there.

Local flooding issues are a matter, in the first instance, for each Local Authority to investigate and address, and Kerry County Council may carry out flood mitigation works using its own resources.

The Council may also apply to the OPW for funding of flood mitigation works under the Minor Flood Mitigation Works and Coastal Protection Scheme. The purpose of this scheme is to provide funding to Local Authorities to undertake minor flood mitigation works or studies to address localised flooding and coastal protection problems within their administrative areas.

The scheme generally applies to relatively straightforward cases where a solution can be readily identified and achieved in a short time frame. Under the scheme, applications are considered for projects that are estimated to cost not more than €750,000 in each instance. Funding of up to 90% of the cost is available for approved projects, with the balance being funded by the Local Authority concerned. Any application received will be considered in accordance with the scheme eligibility criteria, which comprise economic, social and environmental criteria including a requirement that any measures are cost beneficial, and having regard to the overall availability of resources for flood risk management.

The OPW welcome applications under this scheme and is happy to engage with Local Authorities in this regard.

Ciarán Cannon (Galway East, Fine Gael)
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133. To ask the Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform when the Gort lowlands flood relief scheme will commence construction; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [40045/24]

Kieran O'Donnell (Limerick City, Fine Gael)
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The Office of Public Works and Galway County Council are working together on the development of the South Galway (Gort Lowlands) Flood Relief Scheme with Galway County Council acting as the lead authority. The South Galway (Gort Lowlands) Flood Relief Scheme is currently at Stage I, Scheme Development and Preliminary Design. There has been a significant amount of public and stakeholder consultation with a number of public consultations taking place in 2021, in which Galway County Council and the OPW presented the emerging preferred option. The options report was progressed towards finalisation, subject to the completion of environmental assessments. The proposed South Galway (Gort Lowlands) Flood Relief Scheme might include overland flood routes, construction of direct defences and road raising in some areas. The scheme is expected to provide protection to 115 properties; 50 residential and 65 commercial.

The combination of river water, groundwater, swallow holes and Turloughs in the karst Gort Lowlands catchment makes this area unique from an international ecological perspective. Due to the intricate nature of the Gort Lowlands area, Trinity College Dublin and Geological Survey Ireland have been contributing to the development of the scheme design together with the engineering and environmental consultants for the scheme.

Environmental assessments have been undertaken for the preferred option, with the draft Environmental Impact Assessment Report (EIAR) currently under review by OPW and Galway County Council. The Natura Impact Statement (NIS) is expected to be available for review shortly.