Vol. 242 Thursday, No. 2 24 September 2015 DÍOSPÓIREACHTAÍ PARLAIMINTE PARLIAMENTARY DEBATES SEANAD ÉIREANN TUAIRISC OIFIGIÚIL—Neamhcheartaithe (OFFICIAL REPORT—Unrevised) Insert Date Here 24/09/2015A00100Business of Seanad 2 24/09/2015A00300Commencement Matters 3 24/09/2015A00400Flood Relief Schemes 3 24/09/2015B00300Air Services Provision 5 24/09/2015G00100Order of Business 8 24/09/2015N00300Resignation of Member: Motion 22 24/09/2015N00600Health and Social Care Professionals Act 2005 (Section 4(7)) (Membership of Council) Regulations 2015: Re- ferral to Joint Committee 22 24/09/2015Q00100Minerals Development Bill 2015: Order for Second Stage 22 24/09/2015Q00350Minerals Development Bill 2015: Second Stage ����������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������23 /09/2015Choice of Court (Hague Convention) Bill 2015: Committee and Remaining Stages ��������������������������������������������35 SEANAD ÉIREANN Déardaoin, 24 Meán Fómhair 2015 Thursday, 24 September 2015 Chuaigh an Cathaoirleach i gceannas ar 1030 am Machnamh agus Paidir. Reflection and Prayer. 24/09/2015A00100Business of Seanad 24/09/2015A00200An Cathaoirleach: I have received notice from Senator Thomas Byrne that, on the motion for the Commencement of the House today, he proposes to raise the following matter: The need for the Minister of State with responsibility for the Office of Public Works to progress and maintain the cleaning of the Castle Stream and Tolka River in Dunboyne, County Meath, to prevent future flooding. I have also received notice from Senator Fidelma Healy Eames of the following matter: The need for the Minister for Arts, Heritage and the Gaeltacht to outline how she will resolve the crisis concerning the air service to the Aran Islands given the islanders’ explicit wish for a fixed-wing air service from Minna, County Galway. I have also received notice from Senator Colm Burke of the following matter: The need for the Minister for Health to take immediate action to resolve the long delays which exist in the Nursing and Midwifery Board of Ireland registration process as there are currently 2,313 applications pending approval I have also received notice from Senator Mary M. White of the following matter: The need for the Minister for Health to clarify when BreastCheck will be fully rolled out to 65 to 69 year olds I regard the matters raised by the Senators as suitable for discussion I have selected Sena- tors Byrne and Healy Eames and they will be taken now. Senators Burke and White have with- drawn their Commencement Matters which I had selected 24/09/2015A00300Commencement Matters 83 Seanad Éireann 24/09/2015A00400Flood Relief Schemes 24/09/2015A00500An Cathaoirleach: I welcome the Minister of State, Deputy Harris, to the House 24/09/2015A00600Senator Thomas Byrne: I understand the Minister of State is busy and it is not my inten- tion to delay him A number of residents and members of Meath County Council, including my friend and colleague Damien O’Reilly, have been in touch with me about the issue of the flood relief works which have been carried out in Dunboyne and Clonee as a result of flooding which took place more than a decade ago. Those flood relief works are a model of the type of work we would hope to see all around the country. They have worked, and are expected to work, really well A number of residents have expressed some concern about the growth that is taking place in the rivers at the moment I understand that may be summer growth and will rectify as the seasons progress but if the Minister of State were to put on the record the OPW’s view on it, that would alleviate a lot of concerns. There are also concerns about the need for the OPW to carry out regular maintenance work underneath bridges to ensure this project is kept in the way it has been built. It has been an excellent project by the OPW and we want it to continue. I am not here to scaremonger but to represent views expressed by residents in the area On a side note, and it is the Minister of State’s responsibility as well, insurance is still an issue in the area Even this summer, people contacted me I can list the names of people who have had serious difficulties getting insurance even though these flood works are a model of their kind. Our concern is that the OPW would continue to maintain the project in the neces- sary way 24/09/2015A00700Minister of State at the Department of the Taoiseach (Deputy Simon Harris): I thank Senator Byrne for raising this issue on his behalf and that of Councillor O’Reilly and for giv- ing me an opportunity to address the Seanad on it. As the Senator knows well, the River Tolka has a history of flooding following heavy rainfall, which has been well-documented after major flood events in 1954 and in subsequent years. The river has been the subject of a number of investigations and of most significance were those carried out in both 1955 and 1986. Severe flooding from the River Tolka and its tributaries occurred in the Dublin city, Meath and Fingal areas in November 2000 and November 2002 In July 2001, Dublin City Council commis- sioned the greater Dublin strategic drainage study This was a multi-million euro engineering study of the strategic drainage requirements of the greater Dublin area. A full study of the Tolka was not included in that study. In view of the November 2000 flood, the OPW requested that it be included The River Tolka flooding study was under way when the November 2002 flood occurred. The consultants were asked to produce interim reports for all three local authorities concerned - Dublin City Council, Fingal County Council and Meath County Council - to identify works that could be undertaken straightaway to reduce the risk of flooding in the worst affected areas. The final report on the Tolka was completed in November 2003 and this brought together many of the recommendations contained in the interim reports and also much additional information which provided the basis for further decisions in relation to the catchment as a whole As a result of the interim reports, works began in the Dublin city and County Meath areas in 2003 and were largely finished by 2009. 84 24 September 2015 The interim report for the Meath area was received by the OPW in February 2003 and of- ficials from the OPW and Meath County Council agreed a programme of works which would be funded and undertaken by the OPW. I thank the Senator for his kind words about those works. The proposed works were the subject of a public consultation procedure by Meath County Council as required under Part 8 of the planning and development regulations and the main construction work began in July 2003. The works carried out in County Meath in 2003 comprised the construction of the follow- ing: a 1,400 m embankment on lands adjoining the Tolka River downstream of Dunboyne from Loughsallagh to Clonee; the deepening and widening of the Castle Stream from the Maynooth Road Bridge, Dunboyne, to the confluence with the Tolka River; the underpinning of the old railway culvert to the rear of Beechdale Estate, Dunboyne; the construction of a 300 m long and 1.5 m high wall from Clonee Bridge to the M3, which was undertaken by Meath County Council and funded by the OPW, and the upgrading of the Tolka over the same stretch; the re- placement of the Rooske Road Bridge, Dunboyne; and the general cleaning of the River Tolka in Dunboyne and Clonee areas The River Tolka flood alleviation scheme was carried out under local authority powers and not under the powers of the Commissioners of Public Works under the Arterial Drainage Acts 1945 and 1995 I must stress that responsibility for the maintenance of this scheme rests with Meath County Council. The OPW has no statutory powers to enter lands on this scheme. Following a request made by Meath County Council after a flood event of 24 October 2011, the OPW undertook on this occasion to carry out minor maintenance works on the Castle Stream on the council’s behalf. These works involved the removal of trees and vegetation from the channel. The ongoing maintenance of the Castle Stream and Tolka River, Dunboyne, to prevent future flooding remains the responsibility of Meath County Council. However, in light of the Senator raising this matter, I will ask my officials to engage with Meath County Council. There are obviously avenues open to the council should it feel it needs financial assistance. While I cannot give guarantees on that pending an application, that may be an avenue open to it. In respect of flood insurance, the Senator is correct in that it is an ongoing issue of concern for public representatives of various political persuasions. As part of the catchment flood risk assessment and management process, which is the overall mapping of flood risk in Ireland, I have reconvened the interdepartmental group to look at what we call the whole-of-government issues relating to flooding. One of these is flood insurance. The Department of Finance is the lead Department with responsibility for that and that is one area along with a number of oth- ers that are due to report to the Government in the spring in respect of where we want to go in terms of a policy objective. I also note the work of the Oireachtas Committee on Finance, Public Expenditure and Reform and the Oireachtas Committee on the Environment, Culture and the Gaeltacht, which have both produced reports with their thoughts on policies that should be pursued in respect of flood insurance.