Cathal Crowe (Clare, Fianna Fail)
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150. To ask the Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform and Reform if he will report on the measures he is taking to provide flood relief and to guard against future threats in this regard; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [28322/25]

Kevin Moran (Longford-Westmeath, Independent)
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The Office of Public Works (OPW) co-ordinates a whole-of-Government approach to managing coastal and river flooding and its social, economic and environmental impacts through the Inter-departmental Flood Policy Coordination Group. Whilst this whole-of-Government process supports a joined up approach to flood risk management, it is important to note that Government Departments and State Agencies each are responsible for providing effective supports, and lead in the development of policy measures, within their areas of responsibility. This includes promoting and addressing community and individual responses.

The core policy objective is to reduce, to the greatest extent possible, the impact of flooding on homes and businesses across the country. Flood policy has three key pillars – Prevention, Protection, and Preparedness – which are underpinned by research and data evidence.

• Prevention is aimed at avoiding or removing a flood risk and can be achieved, for example, by avoiding construction in flood-prone areas.
• Protection is aimed at reducing the likelihood and/or the severity of flood events. This typically involves physical works, such as defending at-risk areas against flooding through the delivery of major flood relief schemes. In this context, the OPW works closely with Local Authorities to progress flood relief schemes for at-risk communities nationwide.
• Preparedness includes actions and measures that can be taken to reduce the consequences of flooding. For example emergency planning, and informing the public about how to prepare for the risk of flooding and actions that they can (or should not) take during a flood event.

In 2018, the OPW completed the largest study of flood risk ever undertaken by the State to identify those communities that are at risk from significant flood events. The Catchment Flood Risk Assessment and Management (CFRAM) Programme and the subsequent Flood Risk Management Plans has provided the roadmap for the Government’s investment in flood relief schemes.

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. Today, work by the OPW is complete or underway to deliver protection to 80% of properties assessed to be at risk, with further schemes planned. When all schemes are completed, 95% of assessed properties will be protected from future flooding.

Nationally, 55 schemes have been completed to date which are providing protection to over 13,500 properties and an economic benefit to the State in damage and losses avoided estimated to be in the region of €2 billion.

To complement the delivery of these major schemes, the OPW’s Minor Flood Mitigation Works and Coastal Protection Scheme provides funding to Local Authorities to provide local flooding solutions. Over 900 such projects have been approved, with allocated funding of some €69 million since 2009.

One of the many effects of climate change is that significant flooding events across Ireland will likely increase. The OPW’s Climate Change Sectoral Adaptation Plan for Flood Risk Management 2019 – 2024 sets out a number of actions to address these challenges.  All new flood relief schemes are designed to take account of climate change and plans are being developed for the adaptation of existing schemes. In addition, the development of flood relief schemes now involves a specific requirement to assess the potential for nature-based solutions as part of the overall solution to managing flood risk for a particular community.

A new National Adaptation framework was published in June 2024. This maintains flood risk management as one of the sectors for which Sectoral Adaptation Plans are required, with revised Sectoral Adaptation Plans due for completion in September 2025.

The OPW has a statutory duty to maintain Arterial Drainage Schemes in proper repair and effective condition through an ongoing programme of maintenance in line with best environmental practice.  The OPW’s arterial drainage schemes provide drainage outfall for over 260,000 hectares of agricultural lands and comprises 11,500 km of river channel and approximately 800km of embankments.  Arterial drainage maintenance is an ongoing programme of works of a cyclical nature.  Approximately 200km of embankments are maintained on an annual basis, with the average channel requiring maintenance every four to six years. Overall, these works are providing a level of protection from flooding to urban areas and critical infrastructure, including in excess of 20,000 properties. 

The Guidelines on the Planning System and Flood Risk Management (2009), developed jointly by the OPW and the Department of Housing, Local Government and Heritage (DHLGH) and which are published under Section 28 of the Planning and Development Act 2000 set out how flood risk should be taken into account in the area of spatial planning and development management. A key principal of the Guidelines is to avoid development in areas at risk of flooding. The OPW is currently working with the DHLGH to develop further guidance on the consideration of the potential impacts of climate change on flooding and flood risk as part of the planning and development management processes, and the application of the Guidelines.

The OPW reviews forward planning documents, including the National Planning Framework, the Regional Spatial and Economic Strategies, Development Plans and Local Area Plans, to help ensure that the Guidelines are implemented to promote sustainable development.