Ciarán Ahern (Dublin South West, Labour)
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631. To ask the Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform if he is aware that the Whitechurch flood alleviation scheme being undertaken by the OPW has been ordered by Inland Fisheries Ireland to cease works until June due to offending materials in the river which were intended to be mitigation measures, but are causing pollution; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [19077/25]

Kevin Moran (Longford-Westmeath, Independent)
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The Whitechurch Stream Flood Alleviation Scheme (Whitechurch Stream FAS) is being progressed by South Dublin County Council with funding provided by the Office of Public Works (OPW) as part of the Government’s commitment of €1.3bn for the delivery of flood relief measures under the National Development Plan. The Whitechurch Stream FAS commenced construction in Q1 2023 and is being undertaken by the OPW's direct labour force. Approximately 37% of the planned works have been completed, and it is estimated that the construction work will be substantially complete by the end of Q2 2026.

The works referenced in the question relate to Area 6 of the Whitechurch Stream FAS, which involves the construction of improved foundations along the left and right banks of the river. The works require the removal of the existing river bank, which is to be replaced with a new foundation on which a flood defence wall will be constructed.

On April 8th Inland Fisheries Ireland (IFI) contacted the site team to inform of a report that IFI had received from a member of the public regarding a change in colour to the stream. The site team met with a member of IFI on the morning of April 9th and it was concluded that localised discolouring of the stream was occurring adjacent to ongoing construction works. This issue has since been resolved with the removal of deposited material from the channel that had been the source of the reported discolouring. A revised working methodology is currently being prepared in consultation with IFI for this specific location with works planned to recommence in the coming weeks. Separately, works are progressing across other areas of the Whitechurch Stream FAS as originally programmed. Further updates on the progression of the Whitechurch Stream FAS are available at: www.whitechurchfas.ie