Michael Cahill (Kerry, Fianna Fail)
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204. To ask the Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform if the matters raised in correspondence (details supplied) can be urgently addressed; if we will outline and expedite the flood mitigation plan in place for Listowel, County Kerry; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [21818/25]

Michael Cahill (Kerry, Fianna Fail)
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205. To ask the Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform to expedite flood relief works to the areas affected by the flooding of 23 November 2024 comprising the Castleinch area in Listowel and Kilocrim, County Kerry (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [21878/25]

Kevin Moran (Longford-Westmeath, Independent)
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I propose to take Questions Nos. 204 and 205 together.

After the flood events of Storm Bert in Listowel in November 2024, officials from my Department met with Kerry County Council to review the flood event and its impact and to develop a plan to address what measures could be put in place in advance of the larger scheme proposed for Listowel as part of the Food Risk Management Plan for this area.

As a first step it was agreed that Kerry County Council would engage consultants to complete an investigation and prepare a factual report on the flood event. A Draft report has been issued for review to both Kerry County Council and the OPW. Once that report is finalised my officials will assist Kerry County Council in determining what measures may be possible to implement based on the recommendations of this report.

Clieveragh Advance Works.

The OPW, through Kerry County Council, is already making a significant investment of €2 million for advance measures in the Listowel area. This funding has been used for flood defences to protect some 50 properties at risk from flooding in the Clieveragh area in Listowel.

The OPW is carrying out these works by direct labour, and commenced work in February, 2024. They are currently undertaking Phase 3 of this project to ensure the scheme provides the appropriate level of protection.

Feale Catchment Drainage Scheme.

The OPW also maintains the Feale Catchment Drainage Scheme that was executed for the purposes of draining lands and reducing flooding for the benefit of agricultural activities. Preliminary estimates indicated that the November flood event at Listowel and Kilocrim was in excess of the 1 in 100 year return period (or 1% AEP) event and this would be far in excess of the standard of defence of an agricultural drainage scheme.

Flood Risk Management Plan for Listowel.

Since 2018, a phased approach to scheme delivery, in partnership with local authorities, has allowed the OPW to treble the number of schemes at design or construction at this time to some 100 schemes. The Government has committed €1.3 billion to the delivery of these flood relief schemes over the lifetime of the National Development Plan. As well as a financial commitment to meet costs, progressing this significantly increased number of flood relief schemes requires capacity and capability in highly specialized areas of engineering.

As it is not feasible to deliver all flood relief schemes concurrently, due to the constraints in capacity of specialised engineering skills to design flood relief schemes, the national flood-relief delivery programme was subdivided into two tranches, focusing initially on Tranche I schemes and those already in the delivery pipeline. Under the national programme, work has yet to commence on the design of some 50 Tranche II flood relief schemes, including Listowel. The OPW is currently piloting a new delivery model of flood relief schemes to gain efficiencies in how Tranche II schemes are delivered, as specialised resources become available.

Kerry County Council and the OPW keep the programme of scheme delivery under review and it is open to the Council to progress schemes, within its resources, and apply to the OPW's Minor Flood Mitigation Works and Coastal Protection Scheme, that provides 90% funding for localised mitigation up to €750,000.