Press release
Minister Kieran O’Donnell announces approval for a Flood Relief Scheme for Kilkee to be submitted for Planning Consent
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Published on
Last updated on
Kieran O’Donnell TD, Minister of State with responsibility for the Office of Public Works (OPW) announced today, 6 August 2024, that his Office has given the approval for Clare County Council to submit a planning application for a much needed flood relief scheme for Kilkee.
Minister O’Donnell said:
As Minister for the Office of Public Works, I am pleased to announce the approval for Clare County Council to proceed with a planning application for a flood relief scheme for Kilkee.
I wish to acknowledge the support from the Kilkee community that was valuable to inform the design of a scheme for its town, which will protect the 134 properties including 118 residential and families at risk from flooding.
Kilkee experiences regular flooding due to the Victoria Stream overflowing its banks. In 2018, following the Government’s introduction of Flood Risk Management Plans, Clare County Council with funding from the OPW appointed JBA engineering and environmental consultants to design a flood relief scheme for Kilkee.
The scheme design for Kilkee consists of the construction of new flood defence walls, embankments, box culverts and open channels along the Victoria Stream and Well Stream, combined with a channel diversion and the creation of flood water storage areas along the Victoria Scheme.
Today’s announcement is the outcome of very detailed engineering analysis, environmental assessments and engagement with the public on the sources of flooding from Kilkee’s rivers and streams, including the Victoria, Well and Atlantic Streams and the options to protect the town.
Minister O’Donnell concluded:
This is the first of two planned schemes for Kilkee and work is separately continuing on design for a scheme to manage the risk from coastal flooding in the town. Flood Relief Schemes are already in place in Ennis, protecting some 2,000 properties and Sixmilebridge. A €5m flood relief scheme at Springfield is nearing completion and will protect 21 properties. Flood relief schemes are also being progressed for Shannon Town, with planning application expected in the first half of 2025. Clare County Council is preparing tenders to employ technical engineering and environmental services to progress flood relief schemes for Bunratty and Kilrush.
The cost of constructing the proposed scheme will be met from the Government’s commitment to managing Ireland’s flood risk through the €1.3bn for flood relief measures set out in the National Development Plan. The design of this and all flood relief schemes is future proofed and is adaptable to meet the increasing flood risk from climate change.
The Government is investing some €120m to manage the flood risk across County Clare
In addition to these major schemes, the Office of Public Works has approved €3.8m to Clare County Council under the Minor Flood Mitigation Works and Coastal Protection Scheme for localised flood relief works across 42 other locations in the county.
• Flood relief schemes are implemented in five stages. They are large, complex, multiannual projects that face a variety of issues and challenges, many of which are neither predictable nor within the OPW’s control. These can include issues relating to ground conditions, timelines for consultations and planning decisions or a limited capacity within the engineering consultancy market. These challenges impact the timeline for flood relief schemes’ delivery, which can take up to ten years to design, develop and construct.
• The Catchment Flood Risk Assessment and Management (CFRAM) Programme is the most in depth study ever undertaken on flood risk in Ireland. Completed in 2018, the programme studied flood risk for two-thirds of the population against their risk of flooding from rivers and the sea.
• This work underpins the OPW’s approach to designing and constructing flood relief schemes for communities most at-risk and is supported by €1.3 billion through the National Development Plan 2021–2030 (NDP).
• To date, 55 schemes have been completed, at a cost of some €500m. Over 12,000 properties are protected by these schemes providing an economic benefit estimated to be in the region of €1.9 billion.
• A full list of the completed schemes is here.
o Appendix A provides details of the 11 schemes that have reached substantial completion since the CFRAM launch in 2018.
• Since 2018, the number of flood relief schemes at the design, planning, and construction stage has trebled to some 100 flood relief schemes. This is a result of the NDP investment that has enabled the OPW, in partnership with the local authorities, to progress this work.
o Appendix B lists the schemes that are currently in construction.
• This means that the Government has completed or work is currently underway to protect 80% of properties at risk, based on the CFRAM Programme.
• At all times, the OPW strives to expedite and progress capital flood relief works with the minimum delay within the resources available to it.
A full list of schemes and further information is available on ww.floodinfo.ie . All major schemes progressed since 2018 have individual websites. These provide relevant scheme information including timelines and budgets to the public.