933. Deputy Barry Heneghan asked the Minister for Public Expenditure, Infrastructure, Public Service Reform and Digitalisation for an update on phase two of the wad river flood alleviation scheme, including the current stage of the project; the anticipated timeline for progressing to construction; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [59329/26]

A study of the River Wad catchment was initiated following heavy flooding in 2008 and 2009 on the River Wad. This study was carried out of the entire River Wad catchment, which resulted ultimately in a decision to progress a flood relief scheme for the River Wad in three parts led by Dublin City Council. The first part, Phase 1A was completed in 2015 and Phase 1B, the second part, was substantially completed in March 2026 in partnership with the OPW and with funding provided by the OPW. Phase 1B was officially opened by Minister of State with responsibility for the OPW, Mr. Kevin ‘Boxer’ Moran T.D., on 2 July 2026.

The final part of the scheme upstream of Clanmoyle Road, currently referred to as Phase 2, remains to be progressed as part of the OPW’s Tranche 2 flood relief scheme programme of works. Under the national programme, work has yet to commence on the design of some 50 Tranche 2 flood relief schemes.

The OPW is currently piloting a new delivery model for flood relief schemes through four Tranche 2 schemes in counties Kilkenny and Donegal, which is referred to as the Tranche 2 Pilot. There are two Tranche 2 pilot schemes in County Kilkenny (Freshford and Piltown) and two schemes in County Donegal (Donegal Town and Letterkenny). The Tranche 2 Pilot will transfer the management of data gathering, as a first step in designing a scheme, from consultant engineers for a single scheme to the local authorities for all schemes in the Pilot and, where feasible, within their areas of responsibility. The Pilot means that data gathering may be scaled up from individual communities to all schemes in a county. The Pilot will better inform the prioritisation of future schemes nationally and the scope of services required from consultants to design and construct flood relief schemes.

Nationally, 57 schemes have been completed to date which are providing protection to 13,640 properties and an economic benefit to the State in damages and losses avoided estimated to be in the region of €2 billion. Consequently, work to protect 80% of all at-risk properties nationally is completed or underway.

Completion of this work is part of the Government’s strategy under Project Ireland 2040 to make Ireland a better country for all and to build a more resilient and sustainable future. From a financial perspective, the scheme has been funded through the Government’s 2030 National Development Plan with €1.3 billion in flood relief available under the 2030 National Development Plan to protect communities across Ireland from the impacts of climate change through future-proofed, adaptable flood relief schemes.