Aindrias Moynihan (Cork North-West, Fianna Fail)
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99. To ask the Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform for the up-to-date position on advancing flood defence works in the Upper River Lee area of County Cork; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [16160/25]

Kevin Moran (Longford-Westmeath, Independent)
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To date, six communities across Cork County are protected from significant flood risk by completed flood relief schemes in Bandon, Clonakilty, Douglas, Dunmanway, Fermoy and Mallow.

Cork County Council with funding from the Office of Public Works (OPW), for nine staff is leading the delivery of six flood relief schemes in the initial tranche of schemes, nationally, with nine additional schemes planned.

Cork County Council, is proactively progressing a preferred option for a viable flood relief scheme for Baile Mhuirne & Baile Mhic Íre that will protect 90 properties from significant risk of flooding. Cork County Council, the lead authority has developed the scope of works, that it aims to tender shortly, for an engineering and environmental consultant. This is currently under review by the OPW. Once appointed, the consultant will produce a scheme programme, timeline and budget for the delivery of the Baile Mhuirne & Baile Mhic Íre flood relief scheme.

In the interim, Cork County Council commissioned consultants to complete the design of interim flood relief measures for Baile Mhuirne & Baile Mhic Íre. The OPW has approved funding of some €500,000 to Cork County Council under the OPW Minor Flood Mitigation Works and Coastal Protection Scheme for the provision of temporary flood defence measures in this area. The works, due to be completed in April 2025, include a sand bag defence structure, increasing the ground level with ramps and the installation of two non-return valves.

The commitment by the Government since 2018 of €1.3bn under the National Development Plan for flood relief measures has allowed the OPW, nationally, to treble the number of flood relief schemes at design and construction to some 100. Due to the constraints in specialised engineering resources to design flood relief schemes, it was not possible, in 2018, to start work on all flood relief schemes identified by the Flood Risk Management Plans. The proposed flood relief schemes at Ballingeary and Inchigeelagh are two such schemes where funding is committed when specialised resources become available to commence design works. Given the time it takes to deliver flood relief schemes, the OPW is trialling a new delivery model that may inform the approach to delivery of these schemes.

The OPW has approved funding of €107,500 to Cork County Council for river cleaning and maintenance works in Ballingeary and Inchigeelagh and it is open to Cork County to introduce further interim measures to mitigate against flood risk in these communities through the OPW’s Minor Flood Mitigation Works and Coastal Protection Scheme in advance of a flood relief scheme for these areas.