Joe Cooney (Clare, Fine Gael)
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348. To ask the Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform if he will provide an overview of minor works, drainage maintenance and large capital projects being carried out under the OPW drainage and flood relief programme for County Clare in 2025. [15610/25]

Kevin Moran (Longford-Westmeath, Independent)
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The OPW has an extensive programme of flood risk management works across Clare during 2025.

Clare County Council are currently leading the delivery of five flood relief schemes in County Clare, in the townlands of Springfield, Kilkee and Shannon, Bunratty and Kilrush. These schemes are funded by the OPW from the Government's €1.3bn investment in flood measures under the National Development Plan to 2030.

Construction of the Springfield scheme is nearing completion and the completion of this scheme is being informed by a groundwater report, which is due to be completed in Q2 2025.

The Kilkee Flood Relief Scheme was submitted for planning during 2024 and detailed design for the construction of the scheme will be progressed in 2025.

The Shannon Flood Relief scheme is currently at Stage 1 preliminary design, and it is envisaged that the scheme option will be finalised prior to the end of Q2 2025 and will be submitted by Clare County Council to An Bord Pleanála for planning approval at the end of 2025.

The OPW, as part of their update to the Preliminary Flood Risk Assessment maps identified a potential flow path in Bunratty that has the possibility to increase the number of risk receptors originally identified under the 2018 CFRAM programme. Further clarification on this potential flow path is to be progressed during 2025 prior to advancing a feasibility study for the scheme.

Clare County Council is planning to issue tender documents during 2025 for procurement of technical consultancy services for the Kilrush Flood Relief Scheme.

Separate to the main flood relief schemes, Clare County Council is managing localised flood and coastal risks through the OPW's Minor Flood Mitigation Works and Coastal Protection Scheme. Since 2009, the OPW has approved funding under the Minor Flood Mitigation Works and Coastal Protection Scheme of circa €3.8 million to County Clare for some 41 projects. The Minor Works currently planned to be undertaken by Clare County Council for 2025 include works in Gullets Cross Cratloe, Mountcashel, Ballycalla, Thomond Villas Clarecastle and Aughinish Island.

Regarding the matter of river drainage works, the OPW is responsible for the maintenance of arterial drainage schemes completed under the Arterial Drainage Acts, 1945 and 1995, as amended. The OPW Annual Maintenance Programme for 2025 includes maintenance in county Clare at Creegh and the Northern Shannon embankments at Coonagh, Owenagarney, Fergus and Bunratty-Rineanna.