OPW: Office of Public Works: Roles & Responsibilities

Roles & Responsibilities

The National flood risk management policy defines roles for various state bodies in managing flood risk.

The OPW also has a number of operational roles:

Provision of information to people and businesses at risk of flooding ( http://www.flooding.ie )
Provision of information on historic floods ( http://www.floodmaps.ie )
Collection and disemination of data of water levels and flows ( http://www.opw.ie/hydro )
Maintenance of Arterial Drainage Schemes and Flood Relief Schemes carried out under the Arterial Drainage Acts 1945 and 1995.
Preparation, funding and execution of new schemes under the Arterial Drainage (Amendment) Act 1995.
Assistance to local authorities in their response to areas at risk of flooding.
Provision of maintenance for existing coastal protection schemes undertaken under the Coast Proctection Act 1963.
Future flood risk

Regulating works to weirs and bridges under sections 47 and 50 of the Arterial Drainage Act 1945.
Providing information and guidance to Local Authoritites in the preparation of statutory development plans.
Providing policy advice on floodplain and river development.
Providing information on flood risk to Local Authorities and the public through the development of Flood Risk Assessnment and Management Plans for critical areas and for catchments.
Carrying out research e.g. to improve the estimation of flood flows.
Preparing annual coastal protection funding programmes and will project manage specified priority coastal protection measures and studies in priority risk areas.
Provision of an advisory service in relation to Caostal Protection and Coastal Flooding.

The DoEHLG sets policy guidelines for local authorities in the preparation of Development Plans under the Planning and Development Act, 2000.