Taoiseach in Athlone as Boxer announces €1bn plan
The Taoiseach was in Athlone today as Minister of State for the Office of Public Works & Flood Relief Kevin ‘Boxer’ Moran launched a ten-year €1 billion investment programme in flood relief measures the Minister of State for the Office of Public Works & Flood Relief.
At an event in the Shamrock Lodge Hotel, it was announced that 118 schemes would be progressed under the ten year-programme, with a first tranche of 50 schemes to proceed to design and construction under initial €257 million in funding.
An estimated €8m scheme in Ballinasloe is included in the 50 schemes in the first phase, while an Athleague flood defence scheme is included in the wider ten-year programme.
Minister of State 'Boxer' Moran said: “This Government has provided €1 billion for investment in flood risk management measures over the coming decade. The Flood Risk Management Plans published today allow the Government to build on significant investment on flood defence schemes, since 1995, which has delivered 42 major flood relief schemes around the country.
“These schemes successfully provide protection to 9,500 properties and the economic benefit to the State in damage and losses avoided are estimated at €1.9 billion. There are currently also nine major schemes under construction and a further 24 at design/development which together will provide protection to a further 12,000 properties.”
Through the Office of Public Works’ (OPW) Catchment Flood Risk Assessment and Management (CFRAM) Programme, detailed engineering analysis, assessment and extensive public consultation has been undertaken for those 300 identified communities, including 90 coastal areas, that in 2012 were, at that time, considered most likely to be impacted by future flooding.
The Minister said: “Progressing these initial 50 new flood relief schemes, together with those 75 schemes already complete and underway, will protect 80% of the 34,500 properties assessed at having a 1% chance of experiencing a significant flood event in any year (1 in 100 year flood event).
“Evidence from the CFRAM Programme has pointed to the feasibility for Government to invest in a total of 118 flood relief schemes over the coming decade which will provide protection to 95% of those properties assessed to be at significant flood risk.
“While work on all of these has started through the CFRAM Programme, progressing 50 of these schemes from today to detailed design is being expedited by procurement frameworks that have been put in place and, overall, means we are tackling the greatest risk nationally”.
As part of the announcement, the Minister is making €14 million available to 19 local authorities to lead on delivery of 31 of these schemes, each estimated to cost less than €1 million.
Minister Moran also launched a new website, www.floodinfo.ie where people can view the community risk and measures in place, underway and now proposed to tackle flood risk in these 300 areas, and nationally. This map and plan viewer website is another important resource, to support planning, emergency response planning, and to empower people and communities to plan and respond to flood risk.
Speaking at the launch, An Taoiseach Leo Varadkar said: “Flooding can have a devastating impact on families, communities and businesses. If your home or business is badly damaged or destroyed by flooding, the emotional and financial impact is immense. It also has a huge cost to the economy. For all of these reasons, the Government will spend €1 billion on flood relief and prevention over the next decade under Project Ireland 2040, our national development plan.”