John Connolly (Galway West, Fianna Fail)
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375. To ask the Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform to provide an update on each ongoing and proposed flood relief scheme in Galway city and county, in tabular form; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [62902/25]

Kevin Moran (Longford-Westmeath, Independent)
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In 2018, the Office of Public Works, (OPW), completed the National Catchment Flood Risk Assessment and Management (CFRAM) Programme - the largest ever flood risk study in Ireland to date. This study involved an engineering assessment for 300 communities identified as areas of potentially significant flood risk, produced a range of flood maps for potential future as well as present-day conditions, and resulted in 29 Flood Risk Management Plans (FRMPs) which are published on the OPW flood portal, www.floodinfo.ie.

The 29 FRMPs set out both structural and non-structural measures to manage the flood risk in the communities at potentially significant flood risk and elsewhere around the country. The FRMPs identified some 150 new and additional flood relief schemes to protect 95% of the properties at risk within those communities. The residual risk is being addressed by the Minor Flood Mitigation Works and Coastal Protection Scheme, enhanced preparedness and flood forecasting.

The Government has committed €1.3 billion to the delivery of flood relief schemes over the lifetime of the National Development Plan to protect some 23,000 properties in communities that are under threat from river and coastal flood risk. Since 2018, as part of a phased approach to scheme delivery, this funding has allowed the OPW, in partnership with local authorities throughout the country, to treble the number of schemes at design, planning or construction to some 100 schemes at this time.

Nationally, 56 schemes have been completed to date which are providing protection to some 13,580 properties and an economic benefit to the State in damages and losses avoided estimated to be in the region of €2 billion. Consequently, work to protect 80% of all at-risk properties nationally is completed or underway.

As it is not feasible to deliver all flood relief schemes concurrently, due to constraints on the specialised engineering skills, the flood-relief delivery programme was sub-divided into two tranches, focusing initially on Tranche I schemes and those already in the delivery pipeline. The prioritisation of the first tranche of schemes was based on three criteria including: scale of projects, capacity to deliver a national programme, and maximising return on investment by reference to property numbers. Under the national programme, work has yet to commence on the design of some 50 Tranche II flood relief schemes.

There are five stages to delivering a flood relief scheme from feasibility through design, planning, and construction as follows:

• Stage 1 – Scheme Development and Preliminary Design
• Stage 2 – Planning Process or Public Exhibition & Confirmation
• Stage 3 – Detailed Design
• Stage 4 – Construction
• Stage 5 – Handover of Works

Matt Carthy (Cavan-Monaghan, Sinn Fein)
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376. To ask the Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform if he will provide funds to facilitate the dredging and cleaning of the Bunnoe and Finn rivers arising from ongoing flooding concerns impacting landowners and road users; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [62936/25]

Cathy Bennett (Cavan-Monaghan, Sinn Fein)
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377. To ask the Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform further to correspondence received from Monaghan County Council, the funding available for the dredging and cleaning of the rivers Bunnoe and Finn due to ongoing flooding concerns; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [62938/25]

Kevin Moran (Longford-Westmeath, Independent)
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I propose to take Questions Nos. 376 and 377 together.

The Bunnoe and Finn rivers do not form a part of any Arterial Drainage Scheme which falls under the statutory remit of the Office of Public Works (OPW) under the Arterial Drainage Act, 1945. The OPW therefore, has no responsibility for the maintenance of these channels, nor has it any authority to carry out any works there.

Localised flooding issues are a matter, in the first instance, for each Local Authority to investigate and address, and Monaghan County Council may carry out flood mitigation works using its own resources. The Council may apply to the OPW for funding for flood mitigation works under the OPW's Minor Flood Mitigation Works and Coastal Protection Scheme. This scheme was introduced by the OPW on an administrative, non-statutory basis in 2009. The purpose of the scheme is to provide funding to Local Authorities to undertake minor flood mitigation works, or studies to address localised flooding and coastal protection problems within their administrative areas.

The criteria for the Minor Flood Mitigation Works and Coastal Protection Scheme are currently under review, and any application under the scheme will be considered against revised criteria. The OPW expect to advise Local Authorities of the revised criteria for the Scheme in the coming weeks.

Shane Moynihan (Dublin Mid West, Fianna Fail)
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378. To ask the Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform the timing of the update to the catchment flood risk assessment and management maps, to reflect the 2022 census. [63007/25]

Kevin Moran (Longford-Westmeath, Independent)
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Under the National Catchment Flood Risk Assessment and Management (CFRAM) Programme a detailed assessment of flood risk for 300 communities was carried out. The CFRAM Programme produced a range of detailed flood maps for present-day conditions, and also for potential future scenarios taking into account the potential impacts of climate change. The flood maps and a wealth of other flood risk management information are published on the floodinfo.ie portal.

Updates and revisions to the flood maps produced through the CFRAM Programme may occasionally be required due to a change in physical conditions, the completion of an OPW-funded Flood Relief Scheme or a Minor Flood Mitigation Works and Coastal Protection Scheme, evidence presented by a recent flood event that calls into question the published flood map or based on other specific evidence. In these circumstances a Flood Map Review may be undertaken. A flood map review can be instigated at any time by the submission of a Flood Map Review Request Form. Full details of the Flood Map Review Programme and guidance notes for the flood map review process are available from the floodinfo.ie portal.

The flood maps, such as the flood extent and depth maps, are primarily dependent on hydrological conditions and the physical characteristics of the river and floodplain. The CFRAM mapping does however include a sub-set of maps, available in printable PDF format from the floodinfo.ie portal, showing the density of inhabitants potentially at risk from flooding, which reflect the number and typical occupancy rates of homes within a certain area and can cater for potential variations in population levels.

In the context of the 6 yearly cycle of the EU ‘Floods’ Directive, the OPW has recently published the report on the 3rd cycle Review of the Preliminary Flood Risk Assessment. The flood hazard and risk maps, including the printable PDF maps, will also be reviewed and updated as necessary under this cycle of the Directive.