OPW: Office of Public Works
Oifig na nOibreacha Poiblí

Section 50 of the Arterial Drainage Act, 1945

Consent for works to Bridges and Culverts

Certain bodies must get the consent of the Commissioners of Public Works for construction works to bridges and similar structures.

Section 50 of the Arterial Drainage Act, 1945

Policy

The OPW seeks to maintain the existing conveyance and storage capacities of channels and floodplains. The policy statement below sets out the OPW policy on the erection of bridges and culverts.

Policy statement

How can I apply for consent?

Applications for consent should be made on the application form, and supporting information should be provided to justify the design of the bridge.

Download the application form.

What information is available to help me?

The OPW has prepared a brochure to provide information on the consent process: Section 50 Brochure.

The OPW maintains a network of hydrometric gauges, further information is available from the OPW Hydrometric website: www.opw.ie/hydro

The National Flood Hazard Mapping Web site provides you with quick and easy access to flood data. It should be consulted to identify known flooding issues. www.floodmaps.ie

The following link shows examples that are given to assist people applying for consent: 

The OPW has collated some important Technical Information for Section 50 applicants for use by applicants.

The following papers illustrate the steps taken in culvert design and applying for consent under section 50: documents for reference