Dáil Éireann Debate, Tuesday - 7 July 2026
27. Deputy Pa Daly asked the Minister for Public Expenditure, Infrastructure, Public Service Reform and Digitalisation the measures he is taking to prepare Ireland for increased flooding caused by increasingly extreme weather. [51036/26]
Amharc ar fhreagraThe Government’s flood risk policy is focussed on three strategic pillars: prevention, protection and preparedness. In line with the EU Floods Directive the OPW has assessed and mapped existing river and coastal flood risk, as well as flood risk for future climate change scenarios. The OPW has produced 29 Flood Risk Management Plans (FRMPs) which set out set out both structural and non-structural measures to manage the flood risk in the communities at potentially significant flood risk and elsewhere around the country. The recently completed and published Preliminary Flood Risk Assessment has comprehensively reviewed and updated the flood risk assessment for the State.
The Government has committed €1.3 billion for the delivery of the FRMPs and associated flood relief schemes over the lifetime of the NDP to protect approximately 23,000 properties in communities that are under threat from river and coastal flood risk. Nationally, 57 schemes have been completed to date which are providing protection to over 13,500 properties and an economic benefit to the State in damage and losses avoided estimated to be in the region of €2 billion.
With respect to increasing flood risk arising from climate change, the third Climate Change Sectoral Adaptation Plan for Flood Risk Management 2025 to 2030 was approved by Government and published in November, 2025. The Plan sets out how the State will manage increasing flood risk and the actions needed to adapt flood risk management practices for effective and efficient future outcomes and to build resilience to increased flood risk in Ireland. It is shaped by an overarching long term vision, goal and adaptation objectives with a total of twenty-seven targeted actions under the adaptation objectives, spanning the key areas of flood risk prevention, protection, preparedness and resilience, as well as research and capacity building.
These targeted actions include that all new and ongoing flood relief scheme projects require the preparation of a Scheme Adaptation Plan such that the design and implementation of the scheme takes the potential impacts of climate change into account. This is to ensure that the scheme will provide for, or can be adapted to manage, the likely increases in future flood risk. The development of flood relief schemes under the OPW’s capital programme also involves a specific requirement to assess the potential for nature-based solutions as part of the overall solution to managing flood risk for a particular community. Scheme Adaptation Plans are also being prepared for flood relief schemes which are already in place.
The Interdepartmental Flood Policy Co-ordination Group co-ordinates national flood policy development and implementation. The Government Departments and State Agencies involved are each taking the lead to provide effective supports and policy measures within their areas of responsibility, and also with promoting and addressing community resilience.
