OPW: Office of Public Works
Oifig na nOibreacha Poiblí
Roles & Responsibilities
The National flood risk management policy defines roles for various state bodies in managing flood risk.
OPW
- The OPW is the national lead agency for managing flood risk.
The OPW also has a number of operational roles:
Existing flood risks
- 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.
Department of Environment, Heritage and Local Government
- The DoEHLG sets policy guidelines for local authorities in the preparation of Development Plans under the Planning and Development Act, 2000.
Local Authorities
- Prepare development plans for the future and manage development.
- Provide an emergency response during floods.
- Carry out works to protect the public and infrastructure from flooding.
- Maintain some drainage works.