Kieran O'Donnell (Limerick City, Fine Gael)
Link to this: Individually | In context | Oireachtas source

I propose to take Questions Nos. 264 and 265 together.

The OPW is coordinating the delivery of measures towards meeting the Government’s National Flood Risk Policy. A broad range of structural and non-structural measures are being implemented to address flood risk under an approach structured around three pillars:

• Prevention: e.g. avoiding inappropriate development in flood-prone area;
• Protection: e.g. taking feasible measures, both structural and non-structural, to reduce the likelihood and impact of floods;
• Preparedness: e.g. informing the public about dealing with flood risk and flood planning and responding to reduce the impacts of flood events.

These policy areas are supported by the collection of relevant data, the development of relevant science and evidence, and the undertaking of assessments to inform where flood risk, now and into the future, needs to be addressed.

The OPW is the national authority for the implementation of the EU Floods Directive. The EU Floods Directive requires a six yearly cyclical approach to the assessment of flood risks, including a preliminary flood risk assessment (PFRA) to identify areas of potentially significant flood risk (APSFRs), the preparation of flood hazard and flood risk maps for the identified APSFRs and the preparation of flood risk management plans.

In 2018, the OPW completed the National Catchment Flood Risk Assessment and Management (CFRAM) Programme the largest ever flood risk study in Ireland to date. This study involved a detailed engineering assessment for 300 communities identified as areas of potentially significant flood risk and produced a range of detailed flood maps for potential future as well as present-day conditions and 29 Flood Risk Management Plans (FRMPs) which are published on the OPW flood portal: www.floodinfo.ie.

The 29 FRMPs set out both structural and non-structural measures to manage the flood risk in the communities at potentially significant flood risk and elsewhere around the country. The FRMPs identified 119 proposed schemes to protect 95% of the properties at risk within those communities, together with the evidence to prioritise their delivery where the benefit is greatest. The residual risk is being addressed by the Minor Flood Mitigation Works and Coastal Protection Scheme, Individual Property Protection, Voluntary Homeowners Relocation Scheme, enhanced preparedness and flood forecasting.

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 100 schemes at this time.

Nationally, 55 schemes have been completed to date which are providing protection to over 13,000 properties and an economic benefit to the State in damage and losses avoided estimated to be in the region of €2 billion. Consequently, work to protect 80% of all at-risk properties nationally is completed or underway.

The OPW has completed four major flood relief schemes in County Kildare: the Lower Morrell (Turnings), Morrell Johnstown, Rye Water (Leixlip) and Shinkeen (Hazelhatch) flood relief schemes

Currently, there are three major flood relief schemes underway. Two projects, Athy and Naas, are at Stage I: Scheme Development and Preliminary Design. The Morell River flood management scheme is also underway and is at Stage IV: Implementation / Construction. There is also a further Small Project at commencement stage at Leixlip, which is being progressed by Kildare County Council with funding being provided by the OPW. Once completed, these four projects will provide protection to a further 677 properties, with an economic benefit to the State in damage and losses avoided estimated to be in the region of €74m.

As it is not feasible to deliver all flood relief schemes concurrently (due to limited capacity in OPW, the local authorities, and in the specialised consultancy market), the flood-relief delivery programme was subdivided into two tranches, focusing initially on Tranche I schemes and those already in the delivery pipeline. The prioritisation of the first tranche of schemes was based on three criteria including: scale of projects, capacity to deliver a national programme, and maximising return on investment by reference to property numbers. Under the national programme, work has yet to commence on the design of some 54 Tranche II flood relief schemes. There are three further schemes planned for County Kildare, which are classified as Tranche II projects. These projects are at Clane, Maynooth, and Newbridge.

Rathangan was assessed under the CFRAM Programme and a flood relief scheme was not proposed for the area as it was determined to be at low risk. Other communities including Allenwood, Johnstown Bridge, Kilcock and Monasterevin were also determined to be at low risk.

It is also worth noting that local flooding issues are a matter, in the first instance, for each Local Authority to investigate and address, and Kildare 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.

Since 2009, the OPW has approved funding under the Minor Flood Mitigation Works and Coastal Protection Scheme of circa €1.8 million to County Kildare for some 7 projects. This includes a Minor Works project in respect of which the OPW provided funding of €500,000 to Kildare County Council to undertake relevant works in Sallins.

The PFRA is being reviewed this year for the third cycle implementation of the Floods Directive, which includes a new national-scale predictive flood risk assessment that will enhance national understanding of potential future, as well as current, flood risk, assessment of past floods and their impact and consultation with key stakeholders. The national flood risk assessments will be reviewed on a cyclical basis into the future, taking account of new developments and the onset and most up-to-date projections of the impacts of climate change. An ongoing Flood Map Review Programme provides for the continual review and where necessary update of the flood risk maps as and when required to help ensure that the most up-to-date information is available at any given time. New flood risk management plans under the third cycle of the Floods Directive will also be prepared by December 2027.