Dáil Éireann Debate, Thursday - 12 February 2026
76. Deputy Ged Nash asked the Minister for Public Expenditure, Infrastructure, Public Service Reform and Digitalisation for an update regarding the management of flooding at Seapoint, Termonfeckin, County Louth; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [11094/26]
Amharc ar fhreagraLocalised flooding issues are a matter, in the first instance, for each Local Authority to investigate and address, and Louth County Council may carry out flood mitigation works using its own resources.
The Council may apply to the OPW for funding for flood mitigation works under the OPW's Minor Flood Mitigation Works and Coastal Protection Scheme. This scheme was introduced by the OPW on an administrative, non-statutory basis in 2009. The purpose of the scheme is to provide funding to Local Authorities to undertake minor flood mitigation works, or studies to address localised flooding and coastal protection problems within their administrative areas. The criteria for the Minor Flood Mitigation Works and Coastal Protection Scheme are currently under review, and any application under the scheme will be considered against revised criteria. The OPW expect to advise Local Authorities of the revised criteria for the Scheme in the coming weeks.
The OPW does not currently have any application under the Minor Flood Mitigation Works and Coastal Protection Scheme for Seapoint, Termonfeckin, County Louth. Since 2009, the OPW has approved funding under the Minor Flood Mitigation Works and Coastal Protection Scheme of some €1.9 million to County Louth for some 26 projects. The OPW welcomes applications for funding under the scheme and is available to engage with Local Authorities in this regard.
The Scheme Viability Reviews (SVRs) for Annagassan and Termonfeckin have indicated that potentially viable Flood Relief Schemes have been identified. The OPW is piloting a new delivery model for flood relief schemes through four Tranche II schemes in counties Kilkenny and Donegal, which is referred to as the Tranche II Pilot.
The Tranche II Pilot will transfer the management of data gathering, as a first step in designing a scheme, from consultant engineers for a single scheme to the local authorities for all schemes in the Pilot and, where feasible, within their areas of responsibility. The Pilot means that data gathering may be scaled up from individual communities to all schemes in a county. The Pilot will better inform the prioritisation of future schemes nationally and the scope of services required from consultants to design and construct flood relief schemes.
