18. Deputy Martin Daly asked the Minister for Public Expenditure, Infrastructure, Public Service Reform and Digitalisation for an update on the Ballinasloe flood relief scheme, including proposed interim flood protection measures for Derrymullen and Sarsfield Road; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [51475/26]

33. Deputy Peter Roche asked the Minister for Public Expenditure, Infrastructure, Public Service Reform and Digitalisation for an update on flooding prevention schemes being rolled out to combat flooding in areas such as Ballinasloe and other rural areas of Galway; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [51525/26]

I propose to take Questions Nos. 18 and 33 together.

I was delighted to meet with Local Councillors and Elected Representatives on my visit to Ballinasloe on 25th June last.

The Flood Risk Management Plan for the Shannon River Basin which launched in 2018, included a recommendation to progress a flood relief scheme for Ballinasloe, Co. Galway. A Project Steering Group, comprising representatives from the Office of Public Works (OPW), as Contracting Authority, and Galway County Council as project partners, is in place to progress the Scheme under the Arterial Drainage Acts 1945 and 1995 (as amended).

In 2019, the OPW appointed Engineering and Environmental Consultants to complete the design of the Scheme, which will provide protection to 309 residential and commercial properties when complete. The Government has committed funding to support the delivery of flood relief schemes under the National Development Plan to 2030.

The Scheme is currently at Stage 1, which covers the scheme development and design. Surveys and assessments are ongoing by the consultants to inform the Environmental Impact Assessment Report.

The next key project milestone is a statutory public consultation, scheduled for Q1 2027, on the preferred option and prior to submitting the scheme for planning consent. As this is an OPW led scheme the planning consent, scheduled for 2027, will be through the Arterial Drainage Acts. Subject to planning consent, construction is scheduled to commence in 2028.

Upgrading the €1.5m flood relief scheme, completed in 2011, protecting 135 properties, at Derrymullen forms part of the Ballinasloe Flood Relief Scheme. This will ensure the full Ballinasloe Flood Relief Scheme is kept to the same standard of protection and brings consistency to the operation and maintenance of the scheme when complete.

To date, some €2.5m has been approved for Galway County Council to introduce some 40 projects under the OPW’s the Minor Works Flood Mitigation Works and Coastal Protection scheme in the Ballinasloe area. It remains open to Galway County Council to introduce Minor Works measures for areas in Ballinasloe ahead of the scheme completion, currently scheduled for 2030. I recently announced details of the revised criteria for the Minor Flood Mitigation Works and Coastal Protection Scheme which greatly increase the scope of the scheme to provide local authorities with a greater opportunity to address localised flood and coastal erosion risks within their administrative areas. The revisions include an increase in the upper threshold in funding for projects from €750,000 to €2million.