Dáil Éireann Debate, Tuesday - 7 July 2026
22. Deputy Pádraig O'Sullivan asked the Minister for Public Expenditure, Infrastructure, Public Service Reform and Digitalisation for an update in relation to the Blackpool flood relief scheme; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [51268/26]
View answer62. Deputy Colm Burke asked the Minister for Public Expenditure, Infrastructure, Public Service Reform and Digitalisation to confirm the current status of progress on the Blackpool (River Bride) flood relief scheme; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [51530/26]
View answerI propose to take Questions Nos. 22 and 62 together.
The River Bride (Blackpool) Flood Relief Scheme was submitted for confirmation under the Arterial Drainage Act 1945 by the Office of Public Works (OPW) in August 2018. In early 2021, the scheme received Ministerial confirmation under Section 7 of the Act. This decision was then subject to Judicial Review challenge, during which a stay was also granted on works being carried out pending the resolution of these proceedings.
Acting on legal advice, in early 2022, my Department conceded the matter on a single ground related to public consultation procedures as part of the confirmation process and consented to an order reverting the evaluation of the Blackpool Flood Relief scheme back to an earlier phase of the process.
A request for supplementary information was subsequently made to the OPW under section 7B(4) of the Act, to which the OPW complied by supplying information in October 2022. Following an examination of all material provided to date, the environmental consultants retained by my Department recommended that a further supplementary information request be made to the OPW. This request was made to the OPW in November 2023 and the OPW have supplied further information to this effect, most recently in April 2025 and August 2025.
Following receipt of this information, a further period of public consultation was carried out as prescribed by the Act. This period of public consultation ended in October 2025 with over 1,000 submissions made to my Department. The information supplied by the OPW, along with the submissions received, are being examined with the assistance of independent environmental consultants. Once this examination has concluded, this will inform next steps in respect of the confirmation process. Any updates in this regard will be published on the Department's website.
