Brendan Smith (Cavan-Monaghan, Fianna Fail)
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6. To ask the Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform the drainage projects to be undertaken by the Office of Public Works in County Cavan in 2018; the estimated cost of same; the drainage projects to be undertaken by Cavan County Council with financial assistance from the Office of Public Works; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [2131/18]

Brendan Smith (Cavan-Monaghan, Fianna Fail)
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Many parts of County Cavan are affected by severe flooding. Unfortunately, however, very little of the county is covered by the Arterial Drainage Act 1945. There is at times a huge burden on the county council to carry out flood relief and drainage works. Will the Minister of State ensure whatever proposals are put before the Department of Public Expenditure and Reform by Cavan County Council are given urgent and favourable consideration? Will he engage with the Minister of State with responsibility for local government on the need to allocate specific funding for local authorities to carry out essential drainage and flood relief works?

Kevin Moran (Longford-Westmeath, Independent)
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The Boyne, Inny and Glyde and Dee arterial drainage maintenance schemes are in operation in County Cavan. As part of the annual maintenance programmes, maintenance of approximately 78 km of river channel is scheduled to take place in County Cavan at an estimated cost of €460,000. I am delighted to tell the Deputy that the work will take place this year.

Local authorities are responsible for the ongoing maintenance of certain watercourses within the drainage districts in the county. For areas not covered by the arterial drainage maintenance programme, the OPW operates a minor flood mitigation works and coastal protection scheme. It is open to all local authorities to submit a funding application under this scheme. Any application received is considered in accordance with the scheme's eligibility criteria that have recently been reviewed and having regard to the overall availability of resources for flood risk management. An application was recently received from Cavan County Council for structural flood defence works at Drummullan. The application is under consideration.

Towards the end of last year I announced a pilot scheme for channel cleaning for five local authorities. Following on from a review of the delivery of the pilot schemes, I hope to widen the scheme to other areas next year, including County Cavan.

Brendan Smith (Cavan-Monaghan, Fianna Fail)
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I thank the Minister of State for his reply. I have been actively involved with residents in the Drummullan area of County Cavan to which the Minister of State referred and know that Cavan County Council has been in regular contact with his officials in Trim. The residents appreciate the co-operation and the willingness of the Minister of State's officials to advance the particular project. Approximately €250,000 is required to carry out the necessary flood relief works in the area. As I an anxious that that necessary approval issue to the county council at the earliest possible date, I would very much appreciate it if the Minister of State would discuss the matter with his officials. There are other areas in respect of which the council will be making applications for financial assistance, including Ballyhaise and Drung. As these areas are flooded on a 12-month basis, land is lying fallow and often people are unable to get to their homes or farms. In a county such as Cavan in which there is little drainage of the river system under the Arterial Drainage Act 1945 there is a huge burden on the council. I would very much appreciate it, therefore, if the Minister of State would designate it as one of the pilot scheme areas for the channel remediation works to which he referred.

Kevin Moran (Longford-Westmeath, Independent)
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I appreciate from where the Deputy is coming from on this issue. Cavan County Council works closely with the Department. Where we can expedite the process of delivering under the schemes, we will do so, particularly in the areas mentioned by the Deputy. As I said, the recently submitted application is under consideration and we will respond to the local authority in due course. The pilot scheme has been rolled out. Following a review of its delivery, I will come back to the Deputy on roll-out of the scheme nationally.

Brendan Smith (Cavan-Monaghan, Fianna Fail)
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The Minister of State has accepted an invitation from me to visit County Cavan. I look forward to bringing him to some of the areas affected, where he will see at first-hand the terrible hardship being experienced by local communities, households and farmers. If he were to announce during the visit that he would include County Cavan in the pilot scheme, it would be most welcome. He will also see at first-hand the necessity for investment in the area.

11 o’clock

We can no longer have so many homes flooded annually and farms people are not able to farm due to constant flooding on their holdings. Those issues need to be addressed. People want a clear, positive message that action will be taken and the necessary funding given to the council to carry out those essential works.

Kevin Moran (Longford-Westmeath, Independent)
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The Deputy is aware that I did a tour of Monaghan last week and looked at all the areas in question and I gladly take up his offer to visit Cavan. I had thought I would do it on the day but I did not get to it given the number of areas I had to see. The Minister, Deputy Humphreys, had me touring the best part of the day. I must give great credit to the two local authorities because they are willing to look for finance and assistance to help the people and to work together with those mentioned by the Deputy in delivering for their future.