Kevin Boxer Moran

I again thank the House for the opportunity to engage with Members directly on flooding matters. I am aware of the significant impact on communities and of the distress caused by and the continued risk of flooding. I have seen impact of flooding on people and on their homes, businesses and farms at first hand. I fully recognise the hardship experienced by all those who have been affected by floodi…

The River Bride flood relief scheme in Blackpool was initiated in 2013 following a major flood that occurred in 2012 and is expected to provide protection from the River Bride for some 290 residential and commercial properties. The Blackpool area has an extensive history of flooding, with at least 15 flood events occurring since 1974, including recent flood events arising from storms such as Storm…

I understand the Deputy's frustration and that of the people he represents in his constituency. However, once the judicial review came in, that also delayed the process. We have to carry out the environmental assessment. It is very important we do so. If we do not and it is challenged again, the Deputy will be the very one standing up to challenge me on why the proper procedures were not carried o…

Any public consultation on the supplementary information to be provided by the Office of Public Works will be a matter for the Minister for public expenditure, infrastructure, public service reform and digitalisation. The Office of Public Works will continue to engage with that Department, as appropriate, to further progress the scheme. It is with the Department and as soon as it comes out - I do…

The OPW, like other State bodies, is obliged to follow Government policies on the disposal of surplus properties and the arrangements involved are set out in Department of Public Expenditure, NDP Delivery and Reform circulars, Circular 11/2015 on protocols for the transfer and sharing of State property assets, and Circular 17/2016 on the policy for property acquisition and disposal of surplus prop…

-----13 properties disposed of in 2021 for €1,508,803; 24 properties disposed of in 2022 for €8.6 million;-----

-----22 properties disposed of in 2023 for €3.7 million; and 18 properties disposed of in 2024 for €4.3 million. This amounts to a total of 171 properties for €35,509,162.

There is a clear process we have to follow and the Deputy is well aware that, if I did not follow it, he would be standing opposite telling me I had done this and that and had not followed the proper procedure. Fourteen properties went to Tipperary County Council for social housing. Eight residential units in Dublin city centre were leased to housing agencies. A building in Crumlin was leased to …

The Government is doing everything possible to help those people in hotels. On the question the Deputy asked, we have offered a great number of properties to different organisations, such as local authorities and local groups. If the Deputy knows where there are properties, he should make that information available to me and I will look into them. It is easy to stand up - I am not being critical …

The catchment flood risk assessment and management, CFRAM, programme was the largest study of flood risk in the country, studying the flood risk for some two thirds of the population. Following and based on the CFRAM study outputs, Galway City Council appointed consultant engineers in November 2020 to design an option to protect the city from a significant flood event in the future. The work compl…

I really understand. I spoke to a great number of people in Galway. I was there when it flooded in the days when I was Minister of State previously. I understand the Deputy's frustration, but compared to the initial CFRAM study, we have gone from 312 to 940 properties. That takes in a huge area of Galway and many stakeholders. A lot of consultation has taken place. We have one chance to get it rig…

I am nearly afraid to say "a hands-on approach" because, as the Deputy said, four Ministers told her they were taking hands-on approach. My-----

My interest in flooding is no different from the Deputy's or the whole country. I give her a firm commitment. I have to follow the rules that are set out in front of me. I am working with the local authority and the Deputy and other Deputies from the region, and I will continue to work with them as I have in the past. My job as Minister of State is to deliver a scheme and when it goes from 312 pro…

I could talk to the Deputy about my town of Athlone-----

It started off with four or five cells and ended up with 11 or 13. These all take time. The CFRAM programme set out to do a job. It has done the job and when they appointed the consultants, they realised the scheme was way bigger than it was. I will give the assurance that I will be hands-on and I will do what is necessary to bring it to a conclusion.

The Office of Public Works, OPW, as the lead agency for flood risk management, is co-ordinating the delivery of measures towards meeting the Government’s national flood risk policy. A broad range of structural and non-structural measures have already been implemented to address flood risk under an approach structured around three pillars: prevention, protection, and preparedness. In the course of …

I want to answer the question put to me. Other stuff has been brought up in relation to the Deputy's area and I fully understand that. I will get to him on that. On the question, I can only say what I say to every Member of the House. When a politician turns the sod at a Garda station, it could be 11 years before we see that Garda station. The very same occurs with planning permission for flood d…

I will give the Deputy an answer to the question he put to me but some of the issues he is putting to me now are very detailed. I apologise for the simple reason that last time we were here, he put questions to me and I did not have the answers. However, this time I have the answer and it is back to him. I will gladly work with him. There is a huge body of work being done. It is hard to predict wh…

I thank the Deputy for his words of encouragement. The OPW is responsible for the conservation, care and preservation of Kilkenny Castle and parkland. In 2024, there were approximately 417,000 ticket visitors to Kilkenny Castle and 780,000 to the parkland. The OPW delivers an annual programme of maintenance and conservation at the castle. Planned maintenance works, including mechanical and electri…

You could not get better advertising than that. When he mentioned getting the cheque book, I looked at the man on my right and he smiled. We all know, particularly those of us in government, how important Kilkenny Castle is to the economy and to Kilkenny. The OPW has invested hugely in it and will continue to do so. As I stated, there are some good projects coming down the line that will enhance t…

I am invited to attend many events. I appreciate the offer. I have to go up and down the country to look at flood schemes. I assure the Deputy that I have been in Kilkenny Castle. I met with my team yesterday to discuss a number of different projects. Kilkenny Castle was at the top of the list. We are investing heavily in the project. I will always support Deputies coming to my Department and, in …

When the Leader of the Opposition calls us lackies it is a disgrace.

It is a disgrace. How dare she.

I was elected by the people in Longford-Westmeath

I thank the Deputies for their contributions to the important debate on value for money in public expenditure. I agree that there has been a comprehensive and robust discussion. I thank the Deputies for proposing this debate and giving me the opportunity to assure the people of Ireland that the Government has put value for money at the heart of decisions on public expenditure by listing out some o…