75. Deputy Mairéad Farrell asked the Minister for Public Expenditure, Infrastructure, Public Service Reform and Digitalisation the reason the OPW failed to commence construction on a single major flood relief scheme, as reported in the Public Service Performance Report 2025; to provide details of the two target projects that did not commence construction in 2025; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [52052/26]

76. Deputy Mairéad Farrell asked the Minister for Public Expenditure, Infrastructure, Public Service Reform and Digitalisation the reason the OPW only delivered substantial completion on one of their target of four major flood relief schemes as reported in the Public Service Performance Report 2025; to provide details of the three target projects that were not substantially completed in 2025; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [52053/26]

I propose to take Questions Nos. 75 and 76 together.

The Office of Public Works (OPW) is leading the delivery of an ambitious national programme to protect against risk from river and coastal flooding, informed by the 29 Flood Risk Management Plans developed under the National Catchment-based Flood Risk Assessment and Management (CFRAM) Programme.

Nationally, significant progress is being made. To date, the OPW has invested some €590m in 57 completed flood relief schemes, which protect 13,640 properties nationwide and provide an economic benefit in damages and losses avoided estimated to be in the region of €2bn.

The OPW is currently progressing some 100 flood relief schemes in partnership with local authorities nationwide. Each scheme's progress is monitored against a project programme, aligned with international project-management best practice. Targets are monitored closely on an ongoing basis by the OPW and the local authorities and are reported publicly at defined points in time.

While all parties strive to expedite and progress capital flood relief works with the minimum delay, the process is lengthy and detailed and unforeseen issues may arise. Major flood relief schemes are large multi-annual civil engineering projects and involve complex engineering and construction operations that can impact on people's living, built and natural environment. They entail extensive landowner and stakeholder engagement and detailed environmental assessments and mitigation measures. Detailed technical analysis is required to establish the most appropriate solution, technically and environmentally, from a range of possible design options. The delivery process is lengthy and follows a number of stages from feasibility through preliminary design, planning, detailed design and construction.

Four flood relief schemes were monitored for completion in 2025. While three of those flood relief schemes did not ultimately achieve completion within that year, the flood relief scheme at Springfield (in County Clare) reached substantial completion in August 2025.

The completion of the remaining three schemes was delayed due to the following reasons:

Objections to a CPO and ongoing negotiations with a landowner.

Agreement with a landowner regarding third-party utility infrastructure on lands delaying the final civil construction works to be completed on the scheme.

Upon commencement of works, a programme extension was necessary due to complexity of tunnelling operations.

I am pleased to announce that, of those schemes, the River Wad (Phase 1B) Flood Relief Scheme has recently been completed, in partnership with Dublin City Council. Works are continuing on the remaining two projects, and it is anticipated that substantial completion will be achieved imminently.

The OPW completed advance works at Clieveragh (County Kerry) in 2025 to protect an additional 57 properties.

The two schemes that did not commence construction in 2025 (Arklow and Ballyhale) were delayed due to:

Revisions to drawings for planning and extended landowner negotiations and agreements.

Additional archaeological mitigation post investigation, and analysis post the Storm Herminia event in January 2025.

Under the OPW-funded Minor Flood Mitigation Works and Coastal Protection Scheme, completed local authority projects during 2025 increased to provide protection to 8,070 properties nationwide.