Cathal Crowe (Clare, Fianna Fail)
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608. To ask the Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform if he will detail the flood protection works that have been carried out by the Office of Public Works in the lower Meelick area of County Clare (details supplied) in the past 30 years; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [44576/25]

Cathal Crowe (Clare, Fianna Fail)
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609. To ask the Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform the reason a property (details supplied) which has not flooded for at least 30 years has been classified as being in a flood risk area by the OPW; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [44577/25]

Kevin Moran (Longford-Westmeath, Independent)
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I propose to take Questions Nos. 608 and 609 together.

The Department of Finance has overall responsibility for policy matters in relation to Insurance, including flood insurance. The Government remains fully committed to progressing insurance reform and published a new www.gov.ie/en/department-of-finance/publications/action-plan-for-insurance-reform-july-2025/ on 24 July 2025, which builds on the significant progress achieved under the 2020 Action Plan. The new Action Plan includes four actions with a strong focus on improving the affordability and availability of flood insurance.

The insurance industry has its own flood modelling tools for assessing the level of risk that it is willing to underwrite in relation to individual properties. The decision on whether to offer insurance, the level of premiums charged and the policy terms applied are matters for individual insurers. Insurance companies make commercial decisions on the provision of insurance cover based on their assessment of the risks they would be accepting on a case-by-case basis.  Neither the Minister for Finance or the Central Bank of Ireland can direct the provision or pricing of insurance products, in accordance with the EU framework for insurance (Solvency II Directive). In order to improve flood insurance coverage levels, the Department of Finance will continue to engage on all aspects of insurance reform. 

The OPW, through the Catchment Flood Risk Assessment and Management (CFRAM) Programme, carried out the largest ever flood risk study in Ireland to date, which assessed 80% of properties at risk from Ireland’s main causes of flooding. The OPW Flood Maps, that show the flood risk for 300 communities, are a key output of the study together with 29 Flood Risk Management Plans, with the proposed flood relief measures to address the flood risk in each of those communities.

The Flood Maps are available to the public at www.floodinfo.ie.  However, it is important to note that they are community based maps.  These maps are high-level indicative flood maps, not designed to indicate properties at risk. They are predictive and not based on past flood events.  

The Disclaimer and Conditions for Use of OPW flood maps on www.floodinfo.ie includes a provision that users of the website must not use the flood maps, or any other content of the website for commercial purposes. As such, the Disclaimer prevents insurance companies from using the flood maps generated by the OPW. As set out above, the insurance industry has its own flood modelling tools for assessing the level of risk that it is willing to underwrite in relation to individual properties and it has highlighted to the OPW that it does not use the OPW Flood Maps to inform its flood modelling.

Insurance Ireland operates an Insurance Information Service for those who have queries, complaints or difficulties in relation to obtaining insurance, which can be contacted at 01 676 1914 or feedback@insuranceireland.eu. Similarly, Brokers Ireland, the representative body for insurance brokers in Ireland, has access to a wide range of providers and products, and can offer advice for customers when sourcing cover. Brokers Ireland can be reached at 01 661 3067. Furthermore, where an individual considers that they have been treated unfairly, they have the option of making a complaint to the Financial Services and Pensions Ombudsman (FSPO). The FSPO can be contacted either by email at info@fspo.ie or by telephone at 01 567 7000.

The Office of Public Works (OPW) has a statutory responsibility to maintain Arterial Drainage Schemes completed under the Arterial Drainage Acts of 1945 and 1955, as amended. This includes the Coonagh Arterial Drainage Scheme, part of which is located in the vicinity of Lower Meelick, County Clare. 

The embankments associated with this drainage scheme were originally constructed to facilitate agricultural improvement and land reclamation. While such embankments may offer a degree of flood mitigation, they were not designed to contemporary engineering standards for the protection of residential properties and are not considered formal flood defence structures.  These embankments are categorised as non-engineered features and, as such, their presence should not be interpreted as providing a guaranteed level of flood protection. The OPW continues to carry out maintenance works on arterial drainage schemes in line with its statutory remit and environmental best practice.

Local flooding and coastal erosion issues are a matter, in the first instance, for each Local Authority to investigate and address. Where necessary, Local Authorities may put forward proposals to relevant central Government Departments, including the OPW, for funding of appropriate measures depending on the infrastructure or assets under threat. 

Under the OPW Minor Flood Mitigation Works and Coastal Protection Scheme (Minor Works Scheme), funding is available to Local Authorities to undertake minor flood mitigation works or coastal protection works or studies within their administrative areas.  Details of the Minor Work Schemes for which funding has been approved by the OPW are available on www.floodinfo.ie/minor-works/

The OPW has approved four Minor Works Scheme applications which are located within a 12Km radius of Meelick.

Gullets Cross, Carrowmore, Cratloe

• Shannon Banks, Parteen
• Gort na Null, Sixmilebridge
• Mountcatherine