Flood relief delays
Brian Stanley criticised the long delays in delivering flood relief schemes for Portarlington and Mountmellick and urged parallel studies and faster action. The Taoiseach agreed that schemes take too long, said planning timelines are being improved, and pointed to forthcoming measures to accelerate infrastructure delivery and flood protection works.
At the weekend, the towns of Portarlington and Mountmellick were flooded again for the umpteenth time. There are flood relief schemes planned in both towns. These were decided on after the serious flooding in both towns in 2017, which was eight years ago. Work is ongoing, and Laois County Council is playing its part in trying to advance those schemes as quickly as possible. However, because of all the different hoops that these schemes have to go through, schemes are taking between 15 and 17 years. I think we can all agree that is too long. It is a ridiculous length of time. The Mountmellick scheme has gone to An Coimisiún Pleanála, which is welcome. Hopefully, it can make a decision soon. However, as things stand, the Mountmellick scheme will not be done until 2031 at the earliest. For the Portarlington scheme, we are looking at 2033.
Comment on this
That is a crazy situation. A huge amount of study needs to be done.
Comment on this
The studies need to be done in parallel. There is a commitment in the programme for Government to move on these schemes.
Comment on this
I am asking the Taoiseach to take this up with the Department of public expenditure and the OPW to try to get these schemes under way. I was with two pensioners last night.
Comment on this
Their house was flooded again at the weekend-----
Comment on this
I empathise with the Deputy. I fully agree that flooding schemes take an inordinate length of time. We have improved. We have resourced An Coimisiún Pleanála and it is now statutorily bound to give timelines for the issuing of decisions. The Minister for public expenditure is coming to the Government in the next number of weeks in respect of measures that will accelerate the infrastructure development in the country. To me, flood protection is a key infrastructure that is required. Where we have implemented flood relief schemes, they have been very effective. In fact, the report on Storm Amy was that the flood relief schemes, where they have been constructed and built, worked, by and large. There is an urgency, but everybody wants to have their say, as the Deputy knows, and we end up in An Coimisiún Pleanála.