Martin Daly (Roscommon-Galway, Fianna Fail)
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288. To ask the Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform the actions currently being undertaken to address recurring elevated water levels on the River Shannon impacting agricultural lands in the Shannon Callows between Athlone and Meelick; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [40954/26]

Martin Daly (Roscommon-Galway, Fianna Fail)
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290. To ask the Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform the flood alleviation, water management or river maintenance measures planned for the River Shannon in areas affected by repeated flooding and prolonged elevated water levels. [40956/26]

Martin Daly (Roscommon-Galway, Fianna Fail)
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291. To ask the Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform if the OPW will outline the timeline for any planned interventions aimed at reducing flooding pressures affecting farmland along the Shannon between Athlone and Meelick. [40957/26]

Martin Daly (Roscommon-Galway, Fianna Fail)
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292. To ask the Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform if proposals submitted by stakeholder groups concerning Shannon water management have been formally reviewed by his Department or the OPW; and if he will provide details of any findings. [40958/26]

Kevin Moran (Longford-Westmeath, Independent)
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I propose to take Questions Nos. 288, 290, 291 and 292 together.

The Shannon Flood Risk State Agency Co-ordination Working Group was established by the Government in 2016 to enhance the ongoing co-operation of all State Agencies involved with the River Shannon and to introduce co-ordinated solutions that may have benefit in managing flood risk on the Shannon Catchment. The Group is focussed on prioritising actions and activities that can help to manage flood risk along the River Shannon.

The river level on the River Shannon is driven primarily the result of the amount of rain that falls on the river catchment area. Water levels on the Shannon are managed by a Waterways Ireland and ESB through the operation of weirs, gates and sluices. There is daily communication and a co-ordinated approach between those two bodies in this regard. These operations influence the levels on the Shannon but due to the shallow gradient of the river, the levels cannot be fully controlled especially when the Shannon is in flood.

The Shannon Callows is a natural floodplain and generally too soft for intensive farming, but is used for hay, silage or summer grazing. Farmers have raised concerns about the impact of summer flooding in the Shannon Callows. In order to mitigate the risk of summer flooding, a project to remove pinch points in the Shannon Callows is being progressed. As part of this work, an ecological report which was commissioned has identified significant challenges as there are 23 Special Areas of Conservation and 8 Special Protected Areas within 15km of the Callows. On foot of this Report a dedicated Callows working sub-group has been established to consider next steps, including the consideration of further options to address flood risk on the Shannon Callows.

A programme of strategic maintenance for 21 sites along the River Shannon has also been approved by the Group and Waterways Ireland is carrying out this work on behalf of the Group. Funding of up to €2 million is available for this maintenance. This will include certain works in the Callows region.

I remain fully committed to working with the Group and key stakeholders to improve the management of flood risk on the River Shannon. On 22 April 2026, I invited Save Our Shannon Organisation, a voluntary community organisation that represents the interests of farming families in the Shannon Callows, to give a presentation to the Shannon Flood Risk State Agency Co-ordination Working Group on flood affected areas in Shannon Callows and the impact of flooding on the farming community. The Callows working sub-group, which includes representatives from Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine, National Parks & Wildlife Service the Office of Public Works and Local Authority Water Programme also met with representatives of the Irish Farmers Association in April 2026 in Shannonbridge to seek their inputs. This stakeholder engagement will inform the consideration of options by the working sub-group.

There are 14 completed schemes in the Shannon river basin which provide protection to some 2,680 properties. The Government has committed €1.3 billion to the delivery of flood relief schemes over the lifetime of the National Development Plan to protect approximately 23,000 properties in threatened Communities across the country from river and coastal flood risk. There are 25 flood relief schemes currently being progressed in the Shannon region.

• There are 12 flood relief schemes with engineering consultants in place at design or development stage, with schemes progressing towards planning consent and construction stages.
• There are 11 other small schemes, which are being progressed directly by the relevant Local Authorities with full funding from the OPW – with two exceptions, Abbeydorney and Rahan, which are being progressed by OPW Design Section.
• Athlone Flood Relief Scheme, is currently at construction and is expected to reach substantial completion in late 2026/early 2027, the scheme will protect some 550 properties. All pumping stations are now operational.
• King’s Island Flood Relief Scheme has a work programme of 2 years and has a preliminary substantial completion date of early 2027. Upon completion, the scheme will protect some 500 properties.