Dáil Éireann Debate, Wednesday - 18 September 2024
234. Deputy Alan Kelly asked the Minister for Public Expenditure, National Development Plan Delivery and Reform if the flood relief works at Holycross, County Tipperary are completed; if not, when these works will be completed; and the estimated costs of those works. [36804/24]
View answerThe Office of Public Works (OPW) has responsibility for leading and co-ordinating the implementation of Ireland’s National Flood Policy, which includes the development of a planned programme of feasible works for flood relief schemes.
In 2018, to facilitate the development of a national programme of works, the OPW completed a strategic study - the National Catchment Flood Risk Assessment and Management (CFRAM) Programme. The Suir CFRAM Study Area included Holycross as an Area for Further Assessment (AFA), and it was subsequently agreed that Tipperary County Council as the Lead Authority would progress Holycross as a flood relief scheme, with the relevant funding to be provided by the OPW through the Government’s €1.3 billion for flood relief measures under the National Development Plan.
In the event that such flood relief works are considered viable, they typically go through a five stage process, namely:
• Stage 1: Scheme Development and Preliminary Design
• Stage 2: Planning Approval
• Stage 3: Detailed Design
• Stage 4: Implementation/Construction
• Stage 5: Handover
Tipperary County Council have advised the OPW that the scheme is currently at Stage 1 and this is due for completion in Q4 2024. The proposed works in and around Holycross are likely to include flood defence embankments, flood gates, floodwalls, river channel capacity improvements, local drainage improvements and upgrades to culverts. The estimated costs for the Holycross Flood Relief Scheme are currently in the region of €300,000 and the works are expected to reach substantial completion in Q4 2027.
