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ONE of the country's largest individual allocations in flood defence funding is expected to go to Kerry.

The county, which was affected by serious flooding in December 2015, is to receive around €30 million of a €260m fund, it is reported.

Almost 8,000 homes are to be protected by new flood defences as part of the plan. A long-awaited study of at-risk areas will clear the way for 47 schemes across the country, including more than €55m for Limerick city and environs alone.

But it is believed up to €1bn will be needed to ultimately protect the country from floods.

The Minister of State for the Office of Public Works & Flood Relief, Kevin ‘Boxer’ Moran, accompanied by the Minister for Finance and Public Expenditure and Reform, Paschal Donohoe, today gave an update on progress with the whole of Government response to Flood Risk Management.

Through the Office of Public Works’ (OPW) Catchment Flood Risk Assessment and Management (CFRAM) Programme, detailed engineering analysis and assessment has been undertaken for 300 identified communities, including 90 coastal areas, most impacted by flooding. The CFRAM Programme has been Ireland’s largest-ever assessment of flood risk.

A programme of flood defence schemes is already underway at various stages of design, planning or construction. When completed, this current programme will provide protection to approximately 12,500 properties. A further 11,500 properties could be protected by the delivery of the new feasible schemes.

Minister Moran added: “The plans, when approved, will allow the Government to build on significant investment on flood defence schemes, since 1995, which has already delivered 40 major flood relief schemes, around the country. These schemes successfully provide protection to 8,500 properties and the economic benefit to the State in damage and losses avoided estimated at €1.7 billion. The development of the flood maps will assist local authorities in ensuring that local development plans are cognisant of the potential for flood risk.”

The OPW has submitted the CFRAM Plans to the Minister for Finance and Public Expenditure and Reform for an independent review of the environmental assessments carried out as required for each plan.

Minister Moran said: “I intend to seek approval for the final Plans in early 2018 and once approved I will announce a prioritised initial tranche of schemes contained within those plans to be advanced to the more detailed project level of assessment. A new website will allow people view the flood risk (maps) and the measures (Plans) in place, underway and that are proposed for their area or location of interest.”
 

 
Above: Eilish McCarthy, Eoin O'Donoghue and Jimmy Sweetman, Killarney Water Rescue, checking on householders in Glenflesk during the flooding caused by Storm Desmond in December 2015. Pic: Valerie O'Sullivan