934. Deputy Barry Heneghan asked the Minister for Public Expenditure, Infrastructure, Public Service Reform and Digitalisation the status of flood defence projects planned or underway in north Dublin, including the stage of each project, the funding allocated, the anticipated commencement and completion dates, in tabular form; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [59330/26]

The Office of Public Works (OPW) is responsible for leading and coordinating the implementation of flood relief schemes to protect Ireland against significant flood risk from rivers and the sea. The Government has committed €1.3 billion under the National Development Plan, to deliver some 150 additional flood relief schemes identified as part of the OPW’s Catchment Flood Risk Assessment and Management (CFRAM) Programme. Since 2018, a partnership between the OPW and Local Authorities throughout the country has allowed Ireland to treble the number of flood relief schemes currently at design, development and construction stages, to some 100 schemes.

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 avoided estimated to be in the region of €2bn. The OPW is currently providing financial and technical support for a number of flood defence projects in North Dublin including:

River Wad, Howth and Sutton Schemes

A study of the River Wad catchment area 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 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 scheme programme of works. Under the national programme, work has yet to commence on the design of some 50 Tranche 2 flood relief schemes, that also includes the Howth and Sutton Flood Relief Scheme.

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.

Clontarf Promenade

The OPW is currently engaging with Dublin City Council to progress the design of a flood relief scheme for Clontarf. In February 2026, Dublin City Council highlighted it wished to progress the coastal flood protection works planned for Clontarf Promenade as an integral component of a broader Masterplan for Clontarf. This Plan incorporates the coastal flood protection works with a number of significant public realm enhancements and infrastructural elements. Funding for this scheme is available from the Government’s €1.3bn allocation for the delivery of flood relief schemes under the National Development Plan.

Pending the design and completion of a permanent scheme for Clontarf, I prioritised the replacement of the sandbag structures that were temporarily installed as flood protection along the promenade. Following my engagement with the Council and the local community, I committed €120,000 for the replacement of the sandbags with interlocking barriers that were successfully installed by February 2026. In April, 2026, I further allocated €591,440 to Dublin City Council to introduce interim flood protection measures, in response to flooding that occurred during Storm Chandra in January this year for works at locations in Clontarf including Clontarf Road, Alfie Byrne Road and Clontarf Baths.