937. Deputy Ruairí Ó Murchú asked the Minister for Public Expenditure, Infrastructure, Public Service Reform and Digitalisation if he will provide an update on the scheme viability review for flood relief schemes for Annagassan and Termonfeckin; when a decision will be made by the OPW; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [59409/26]

The Office of Public Works, (OPW), is funding 6.5 staff in Louth County Council who lead the delivery of five flood relief schemes at Dundalk/Blackrock South, Drogheda, Carlingford/ Greenore, Baltray and Ardee.  The Government has committed funding to support the delivery of these flood relief schemes under the National Development Plan.

Following Storm Chandra in January of this year, I met with the Chief Executive of Louth County Council to discuss interim measures that could be introduced to provide protection to those areas that were badly impacted by flooding during the Storm. Funding of some €698,000 was recently approved to Louth County Council to introduce these interim flood protection measures. This funding will be used by the Council to provide works at various locations across the county and will include measures aimed at protecting homes and businesses ahead of next winter.

Localised flooding issues are a matter, in the first instance, for each Local Authority to investigate and address, and a Local Authority may carry out flood mitigation works using its own resources. Local Authorities may apply to the OPW for funding for flood mitigation and coastal protection works under the OPW Minor Flood Mitigation Works and Coastal Protection Scheme. Since 2009, funding of some €1.9 million has been approved for Louth County Council under this Scheme for 26 projects.

The Scheme Viability Reviews (SVRs) identified potentially viable Flood Relief Schemes for Annagassan and Termonfeckin. They will be included in the second tranche of schemes for further detailed assessment.

Under the national programme, work has yet to commence on the design of the Tranche 2 flood relief schemes.  A number of initiatives are underway, including the OPW 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.

The Tranche 2 Pilot is transferring 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. The Pilot means that data gathering, where feasible, 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 facilitate construction of flood relief schemes. While it is anticipated that work to progress the Tranche 2 schemes will commence within the lifetime of the National Development Plan, the implementation of these schemes will continue post-2030.

In the interim, Annagassan and Termonfeckin will continue to be designated as Areas of Potential Significant Flood Risk.

The OPW has ongoing engagement with Louth County Council in relation to flood risk at Annagassan and Termonfeckin, and other communities and the optimal means of implementing flood relief measures for these areas.