Kieran O'Donnell (Limerick City, Fine Gael)
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The Shannon Flood Risk State Agency Co-ordination Working Group was established by the Government in 2016 to enhance the ongoing co-operation of all State Agencies involved with the River Shannon and to introduce co-ordinated solutions that may have benefit in managing flood risk on the Shannon Catchment. The Group is focussed on prioritising actions and activities that can help to manage flood risk along the River Shannon.

Meetings of the Group are held bi-annually. In 2023 the Meetings were held on 26 April and 11 October. The last meeting of the Group was held on 10 April 2024 and the next meeting is scheduled for 31 October 2024. The agendas for the meetings of 26 April 2023, 11 October 2023 and 10 April 2024 are set out below.

The Group has made a number of decisions at recent meetings:

• Work programme 2024
  
  The Shannon Flood Risk State Agency Coordination Working Group produces an annual Work Programme that demonstrates the extensive work and co-ordination by all State bodies to jointly and proactively help address flood risk on the Shannon under the following themes of activity: physical works, maintenance, water management, regulatory, policy and planning. The Group approved the work programmes each year. The work programme for 2024 was approved and is published on the Group’s website at www.rivershannongroup.ie.
• Strategic maintenance
  
  The Group is currently progressing a programme of strategic maintenance and has approved a strategic maintenance programme on 23 sites along the River Shannon. Waterways Ireland is carrying out this work on behalf of the Group. A budget of €320,000 was approved for strategic maintenance in 2024.
• The Callows ‘pinch points’
  
  The Group approved the appointment of an ecological consultant to carry out a high level environmental study in relation to the Callows ‘pinch points’.
  
  The study commenced on 5 June and will consider the potential positive and negative ecological impacts of the proposed works on the River Shannon between Athlone and Meelick. It is expected the study will be completed in Q4 of 2024.
• Website
  
  In August 2023, a tender was awarded to design and develop a website for the Shannon Flood Risk State Agency Coordination Working Group. The website: www.rivershannongroup.ie went live in April 2024.
  
  The Group decided to make information about the management of water levels available on the website and further work is underway to publish real time information on the management of water levels by ESB and Waterways Ireland.
• Lough Allen Protocol
  
  The ESB obtained a Section 21 licence under the Wildlife Acts from the National Parks and Wildlife Service on 12 September 2024 to continue with the temporary operation of the protocol for reducing the lake levels on Lough Allen.

The minutes of the meetings, details of membership and work programmes are available on the Group’s website: www.rivershannongroup.ie