Minister O'Donovan's speech at the launch of the Be Winter Ready Information Campaign 2022-2023

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I am delighted to be here today along with my Ministerial colleague, Minister Hildegarde Naughton, to jointly launch the government’s ‘Be Winter Ready’ campaign. This year’s campaign focuses on preparing for flooding. We are also joined today by Ms. Evelyn Cusack, Head of Forecasting in Met Éireann.

The Be Winter Ready campaign highlights the ‘whole of government’ approach being taken to preparations for the winter period. The campaign provides a forum for advice and information on our collective planning and preparedness for the winter months. It helps to build our resilience as a nation and informs how and where the public can avail of that information. I would ask everyone to check the www.winterready.ie website, which is a single repository of information from departments and agencies in relation to winter.

Flooding is not a new risk but it is a risk that will increase as the impact of climate change becomes more apparent. We have seen unprecedented weather events in Europe and further afield ranging from severe droughts, heatwaves and increased frequency and intensity of storms. Ireland has also experienced a number of severe weather events in recent times including those that have recently caused flooding in some parts of the country.

Flooding can have a significant impact on people living and working in the affected areas. Essential services can be disrupted and property and possessions can be damaged or lost. Since my appointment as Minister of State with responsibility for the Office of Public Works, I have visited a number of areas affected by flooding. I have witnessed at first hand the damage caused, and I have met and spoken with the people and business owners directly affected.

Individuals and communities can play an important role in reducing the impact of flooding by being aware of flood risks and by taking the time to prepare in advance. This ‘whole of government’ information campaign aims to provide useful guidance for individuals to help protect themselves, their homes and their livelihoods in the event of a flood, with safety being the key priority. This guidance is set out in a handy leaflet entitled Guidance on Flooding which is available to download on the ‘Be Winter-Ready’ website and is being widely distributed and promoted. The main message remains a simple one, “be prepared, stay safe and know where to find help if you need it”.

While the emphasis today is about creating awareness about planning and preparing for potential flooding during the Winter ahead, it is also an opportunity to share with you the government’s plans to address flood risk, now and into the future.

Investment in Flood Relief Measures

To date, 51 flood relief schemes have been completed and these schemes are providing protection to over 11,900 properties with an economic benefit to the State in damage and losses avoided estimated to be in the region of €1.9 billion.

The Catchment Flood Risk Assessment and Management - or CFRAM - Programme has informed the government’s approach to managing flood risk in Ireland. It was the largest study ever undertaken of our risk from significant flood events. Its output, the 29 Flood Risk Management Plans gave the government the evidence to progress the delivery of a national programme for flood risk management.

The government has committed to a €1.3 billion investment in flood relief measures as part of the National Development Plan to 2030. This level of funding reflects the government’s continued commitment to protect communities from flood risk.

At present, there are some 90 flood relief schemes at planning, design or construction phase with further schemes to be progressed over the coming years. These schemes are being delivered in partnership with Local Authorities throughout the country. Seven of those schemes are due to be completed by the end of 2024 and these will provide protection to an additional 2,000 properties.

It is important to note that the government’s Climate Change Sectoral Adaptation Plan for Flood Risk Management 2019 – 2024 is ensuring that our work today is adaptable to climate change impacts in the future.

In addition, the OPW provides funding to Local Authorities under the Minor Flood Mitigation Works and Coastal Protection Scheme to undertake minor flood mitigation works or studies, costing up to €750,000 each to address localised flooding and coastal protection problems within their administrative areas. This scheme is a valuable source of funding for local authorities to address local flooding issues. Since 2009, 643 projects have been completed under the Scheme, at a cost of €43.4 million. These projects are providing protection to over 7,600 properties from localised flood risk. Two-thirds of these projects are outside of the CFRAM study areas.

While the government cannot eliminate the risk of flooding, it is investing heavily in protecting people and properties identified as being at significant risk of flooding now and in the future.

Individuals and communities can also play a significant role in managing and reducing the impact of flooding by planning in advance. This is the central message of the ‘Be Winter Ready’ campaign. Today’s launch is focussed on creating awareness and providing guidance and direction to where further information can be found, to support preparation for flood events.

The ‘Be Winter-Ready’ website and the ‘Be Winter-Ready’ booklet provide very useful and practical guidance on preparing for winter. They, together with the links to other public service resources and websites, bring a range of relevant information together in a coordinated manner.

Our preparedness, as individuals, across our various communities and as a government, should be based on prudent planning and coordination. We have just concluded a meeting of the Government Task Force on Emergency Planning which was dedicated to winter-preparedness and we have received a comprehensive briefing from all relevant government departments and agencies on their preparations for winter 2022/2023. I urge people who live or work in areas at risk of flooding to follow the guidance offered; and to plan and prepare to protect themselves, their properties and their livelihoods to reduce the impact that could be caused by a flood.

Finally, severe weather can inflict particular challenges and hardships on older and more vulnerable people in our communities. I ask people to please take the time to check on older relatives and neighbours and to support them during severe weather events where possible.

I will now hand over to Minister Hildegarde Naughton to outline preparations from her department.

Thank you.