Minister Moran marks milestone as the Ballyhale Flood Relief Scheme moves forward to Construction Stage

Minister of State with responsibility for the Office of Public Works (OPW), Mr. Kevin “Boxer” Moran T.D., visited County Hall, Kilkenny to attend a contract signing event and to welcome the news that Kilkenny County Council has progressed the Ballyhale Flood Relief Scheme to construction stage, following the development and identification of a preferred scheme.

As part of the Catchment-based Flood Risk Assessment and Management (CFRAM) Programme completed by the OPW in 2018, Ballyhale was identified as one of 300 areas believed to be at significant flood risk. CFRAM recommended a feasible flood relief option for Ballyhale. In November 2018, approval was given to Kilkenny County Council to proceed with the implementation of a flood relief scheme for Ballyhale. The Council subsequently appointed DBFL Engineering & Environmental Consultants on 23 March 2020 to develop and design the scheme.

During stage 1 of the process, DBFL carried out a review of the flood protection measures identified under the CFRAM Programme, bringing them to outline design, along with a review of costs and benefits. As part of the Options Assessment and Multi-Criteria Assessment, a range of flood relief options were developed and considered. Four preliminary options were identified and presented to the Council and the OPW in the Options Report, with the preferred option advancing to planning.

This scheme will provide embankments and conveyance improvements through flow diversion from the Ballyhale watercourse to the Little Arrigle River.

Public and stakeholder engagement as well as information days took place after the preferred option emerged. The responses from these events were invaluable to developing the best possible scheme for Ballyhale.

The consultant commenced detailed design in 2025 with the scheme design completed and issued to tender for construction in April 2026.

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NOTES:

Funding for flood relief schemes is provided through the Government’s commitment to managing Ireland’s flood risk, as outlined in the National Development Plan. The design of this and all flood relief schemes is future proofed and is adaptable to meet the increasing flood risk from climate change.

In addition to this scheme, the OPW has approved approximately €1.5m to Kilkenny County Council under the Minor Flood Mitigation Works and Coastal Protection Scheme for localised flood relief works across 18 other projects in the county.

OPW Flood Relief Schemes

• Flood relief schemes are implemented in five stages. They are large, complex, multiannual projects that face a variety of issues and challenges, many of which are neither predictable nor within the OPW’s control. These can include issues relating to ground conditions, timelines for consultations and planning decisions or a limited capacity within the engineering consultancy market. These challenges impact the timeline for flood relief schemes’ delivery, which can take up to ten years to design, develop and construct.
• The Catchment Flood Risk Assessment and Management (CFRAM) Programme is the most in depth study ever undertaken on flood risk in Ireland. Completed in 2018, the programme studied flood risk for two-thirds of the population against their risk of flooding from rivers and the sea.
• The work underpins the OPW’s approach to designing and constructing flood relief schemes for communities most at risk and is supported through the National Development Plan
• To date, 57 completed flood relief schemes are providing protection to some 13,640 properties and an economic benefit to the State in damages and losses avoided estimated to be in the region of some €2 billon nationwide.
• A full list of the completed schemes is here.
• Since 2018, the number of flood relief schemes at the design, planning, and construction stage has trebled to some 100 flood relief schemes. This is a result of the NDP investment that has enabled the OPW, in partnership with the local authorities, to progress this work.
• This means that the Government has completed or work is currently underway to protect 80% of properties at risk, based on the CFRAM Programme.
• At all times, the OPW strives to expedite and progress capital flood relief works with the minimum delay within the resources available to it.
• A full list of schemes and further information is available on the www.floodinfo.ie website. All major schemes progressed since 2018 have individual websites. These provide relevant scheme information including timelines and budgets to the public.