OPW: Office of Public Works
Oifig na nOibreacha Poiblí
Mansergh Announces Study On The Communication Of Flood Risk (Wexford Town)
Monday 30th August, 2010
PRESS RELEASE
Minister for State, Dr. Martin Mansergh, TD, is delighted to announce a study of communication of flood risk in a number of selected areas around the country, including Wexford Town. The study will seek the views of the public through a questionnaire survey that aims to determine how flood risk is perceived and how flood related information should best be communicated to ensure that it activates the appropriate public response. The questionnaire is not just for people who have been affected by floods - opinions from those who have not experienced floods are also valuable.
The study, recognising that public engagement and participation is a key element of effective flood risk management, will contribute to improving public resilience to the social, economic and environmental consequences of flood risk. The study is part of a wider European project called URflood that is investigating Uncertainty and Risk in flood communications. OPW together with the Centre for Water Resources Research in University College Dublin are conducting the Irish element of the research and the other partners include the Macaulay Land Use Research Institute in Scotland, the Finnish Environmental Agency (SYKE), the Centre for Inter-University Research (CIRPA) in Italy and Collingwood Environmental Planning in England.
The Minister encourages all members of the public who receive a questionnaire to take the short time needed to complete and return it as a good response will help deliver better results for the study.
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For further information contact: -
Kevin Kennedy, OPW Press Office, (01) 647 6159