Legislation that informs our work

The Arterial Drainage Acts of 1945 and 1995 provide the OPW with powers for drainage and improvement of agricultural land and the undertaking of localised flood defence schemes to reduce flood risk in urban areas.

The OPW is also the national authority for the implementation of the EU Directive on the Assessment and Management of Flood Risks [2007/60/EC] which was transposed into Irish law by the European Communities (Assessment and Management of Flood Risks) Regulations (SI 122 of 2010) and the European Communities (Assessment and Management of Flood Risks) (Amendment) Regulations 2015 (SI 495 of 2015). The OPW’s Catchment-based Flood Risk Assessment and Management (CFRAM) Programme achieved Ireland’s requirements under the first cycle of the EU Flood Directive