545. Deputy Pat the Cope Gallagher asked the Minister for Public Expenditure, Infrastructure, Public Service Reform and Digitalisation to provide an update on each ongoing and proposed flood relief scheme in County Donegal, in tabular form; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [58598/25]

In 2018 the Flood Risk Management Plans identified some 150 flood relief schemes are required to manage the signficant risk from flooding. Since then, the OPW has trebled, to some 100, the number of flood relief schemes at design and construction. These are in the first tranche of schemes and commencing work on the Tranche 2 schemes is constrained by the availability of specialised engineering skills for designing flood relief schemes.

Sixteen flood relief schemes were identified in County Donegal under the Flood Risk Management Plans announced in May 2018. Twelve of these projects are included in the first phase of implementation (i.e. Tranche 1) and details of these are set out under in tabular form. Killybegs, Carndonagh, Dunfanaghy, and Rathmullan are Tranche 2 schemes.

Nine of the current tranche of twelve projects are being delivered by Donegal County Council and the OPW currently fund five staff in the Council for that purpose. Two of these schemes are for Donegal Town and Letterkenny. On 2nd May 2023 the Minister of State with responsibility for the Office of Public Works, announced that the OPW would pilot a new delivery model through four Tranche 2 flood relief schemes, including Donegal Town and Letterkenny.

The schemes for Raphoe and Lifford are being delivered by the OPW under the Arterial Drainage Acts. The design for the scheme in Kerrykeel is being led by the OPW with Donegal County Council to take the preferred option through planning.

Following flooding in Killybegs on the night of 23rd and into the morning of 24th November 2024 the OPW met with Donegal County Council (DCC) to review potential flood relief measures. Donegal County Council (DCC) and OPW have worked together to prepare a list of potential flood relief measures and have agreed a pilot scheme to roll out their deployment. The pilot is being 100% funded by the OPW.

Donegal County Council got approval for the first phase of works to undertake channel clearance, removal of overhanging vegetation and storm debris and to undertake an assessment of the drainage network together with supply and installation of non-return valves on DCC owned roads drainage system and drainage works.

Clearance works have now been completed, and the drainage network has been assessed on the ground. Installation of non-return valves remains under review and may require further amendments to the network prior to completion. This work will continue subject to further local assessment of both the network and resourcing.

DCC also got approval to engage consultants to undertake a Hydrological review of the CFRAM (Catchment-based Flood Risk Assessment and Management) data updating it to include the November 2024 event as well as the 2017 event (if possible) such that 2024 and 2017 return periods are estimated and design flows updated accordingly as necessary. The main output of the assessment is to prioritise short and medium term measures that could be undertaken, subject to planning consent.