Shannon Flood Risk State Agency Co-ordination Working Group

Shannon Flood Risk State Agency Co-ordination Working Group

The Shannon Flood Risk State Agency Co-ordination Working Group was established in early 2016 by the Government, following severe flooding arising from exceptional weather conditions between December, 2015 and January, 2016, to enhance the ongoing co-operation across all State Agencies involved with the River Shannon. The Group provides a structure where all statutory organisations with roles and responsibilities that involve the Shannon catchment can further monitor and co-ordinate their respective programmes to manage flood risk along the River Shannon.

There are 11 communities in the Shannon River Basin District benefitting from completed flood relief schemes which are protecting people and properties from the risk of flooding. A further 38 flood relief schemes in the Shannon area will be delivered under the Government’s €1bn investment in flood relief measures over the lifetime of the National Development Plan 2018 – 2027. Collectively, all of these schemes when completed will protect 95% of those properties identified as being at significant risk from flooding.

To add to the overall flood protection from flood relief schemes, the Group produces an annual Work Programme that demonstrates the extensive work and co-ordination by all State bodies to jointly and proactively help address flood risk on the Shannon. These Work Programmes are published and available to the public at www.gov.ie.

The Group has a €7m investment programme to implement a co-ordinated strategic programme of maintenance activities for the River Shannon and for the removal of a number of constrictions through the Callows region. The proposed works can delay flooding and can also benefit navigation and agricultural lands. Waterways Ireland is advancing these measures on behalf of the Group and expects to commence work on some of them later this year when the environmental window permits. Some of the more complex measures will be subject to environmental assessments and planning consent to proceed.

The Group is continuing to explore and introduce additional flood risk solutions that can be of benefit. The Group has already introduced a pilot to reduce the lake levels on Lough Allen and targeted maintenance has been undertaken at five locations. The Group has also examined the cause, rate and degree of restriction over time in the Lower Shannon and work is underway to explore the potential solutions, benefits and indicative costs of the various options.

Interdepartmental Flood Policy Co-ordination Group

The OPW is co-ordinating Ireland’s whole of Government approach to flood risk management across three strategic and policy areas:

• Prevention e.g. avoiding construction in flood-prone areas,

• Protection e.g. taking feasible measures, both structural and non-structural, to reduce the likelihood and impact of floods, and

• Preparedness e.g. informing the public about dealing with flood risk and a flood

The Interdepartmental Flood Policy Co-ordination Group, established to support the OPW’s Catchment Flood Risk Assessment and Management (CFRAM) Programme, was reconvened in July 2015. The purpose of the Group is to have regard to the extent of non-structural solutions that will inform the ten-year implementation strategy of the Flood Risk Management Plans arising from the CFRAM study and to ensure that policies that can benefit communities and individuals directly – to be prepared for and respond to or live with flood risk – are carefully considered.

The Group is chaired by the OPW and meets biannually. At its meetings, the Group is updated on progress on specific actions that can benefit and support individuals and communities at risk of flooding, which are being implemented by the relevant Departments and Offices.

This work includes:

• Establishment of a National Flood Forecasting and Warning Service

• Humanitarian Assistance Schemes.

• Emergency Planning

• Flood Insurance

• Climate Change

• Community Resilience

• Planning and Development Guidelines