AIE: National Flood Forecasting and Warning Service (NFFWS) – Steering Group Meetings and associated records
Office of Public Works (OPW)
The Environmental Pillars views in relation to the mandates of Semi-State bodies around their biodiversity practices, and how these align with the recommendations made by the Citizen’s Assembly on Biodiversity Loss
2025_0009_01 – Re-use of Public Sector Information – Data Request to OPW for 50+ flood related datasets
Re: Data Request No 2025_0009_01
Dear Right to Know,
I refer to your request for data held by the Office of Public Works (OPW). Your request sought the data listed in the attached spreadsheet.
I have considered your request for data and in line with the OPW’s current Data Policy, the following datasets may be provided under the Creative Commons BY 4.0 licence. If you confirm that you want us to send on these datasets, we will make suitable arrangements for release, noting the approximate file sizes below.
| Dataset | Total File Size | OPW Licence |
| National Floodplain DTM – Bray – Orthorectified Images | Approximately 1 GB | Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 |
| National Floodplain DTM – Suir – Orthorectified Images | Approximately 13 GB | Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 |
In line with the OPW’s current Data Policy, I am unable to make the data in the table below, Data Request Refusal, Refusal Reasons, Licence and Alternative Data Access, available under the Creative Commons Public Domain Dedication (CC0) or the Creative Commons BY 4.0 licence. The specific reason for the refusal of individual datasets are listed within the table below.
Please note that the OPW has carried out a review of the requested datasets and a range of additional datasets are now available under varying levels of open licences on Ireland’s Open Data Portal (https://data.gov.ie/. In some instances, due to the complexity and size of the data structures, these datasets may not be available for direct download at present.
To appeal a refusal, in the first instance, please write to flood_data@opw.ie, clearly outlining the case reference number and the grounds of the appeal. The appeal will be forwarded to the relevant section(s) within the OPW for a supplementary review. A decision to refuse the requested data may also be appealed to the Office of the Information Commissioner, https://www.oic.ie/.
Please note that separate procedures apply for requests made under other legislation, including Freedom of Information (FOI) and Access to Information on the Environment (AIE) and separate responses will issue where applicable.
Yours sincerely,
The FRM Data Management Team
Data Request Refusal, Refusal Reasons, Licence and Alternative Data Access
| Dataset | Refusal Reason | OPW Licence | Alternative Data Access |
| Flood Relief Scheme – Hydraulic Models | Third-party Data, Deliberative Process, Commercially Sensitive Information, Alternative Format | – | This dataset contains third-party data held under licence. The input from the individual Flood Relief Scheme models, the survey data, and the output data including extents and depth will be made available under an alternative licence once the Flood Relief Schemes have been completed. |
| 2000 Vegetation Line (ICPSS 2010-2014 Baseline) | Commercially Sensitive Information | Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivatives 4.0 | Available for direct download on data.gov.ie under an alternative licence. |
| 2050 Erosion Line (ICPSS 2010 – 2014) – Current Scenario | Commercially Sensitive Information | Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivatives 4.0 | Available for direct download on data.gov.ie under an alternative licence. |
| CFRAM Areas for Further Assessment (AFA) Boundaries | Commercially Sensitive Information | Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivatives 4.0 | Available for direct download on data.gov.ie under an alternative licence. |
| CFRAM Coastal Flood Depth – Current Scenario | Commercially Sensitive Information | Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivatives 4.0 | Available for request under an alternative licence. * |
| CFRAM Coastal Flood Depth – High-End Future Scenario | Commercially Sensitive Information | Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivatives 4.0 | Available for request under an alternative licence. * |
| CFRAM Coastal Flood Depth – Mid-Range Future Scenario | Commercially Sensitive Information | Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivatives 4.0 | Available for request under an alternative licence. * |
| CFRAM Coastal Flood Extents – Current Scenario | Commercially Sensitive Information | Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivatives 4.0 | Available for direct download on data.gov.ie under an alternative licence. |
| CFRAM Coastal Flood Extents – High-End Future Scenario | Commercially Sensitive Information | Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivatives 4.0 | Available for direct download on data.gov.ie under an alternative licence. |
| CFRAM Coastal Flood Extents – Mid-Range Future Scenario | Commercially Sensitive Information | Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivatives 4.0 | Available for direct download on data.gov.ie under an alternative licence. |
| CFRAM Flood Zones – Current Scenario | Superseded Data | – | This dataset is no longer available as the data has been superseded and is not updated. |
| CFRAM Flood Zones – Mid-Range Future Scenario | Superseded Data | – | This dataset is no longer available as the data has been superseded and is not updated. |
| CFRAM High Priority Watercourses (HPW) Non-Core PDF Maps | Superseded Data | – | This dataset is no longer available as the data has been superseded and is not updated. |
| CFRAM Hydraulic Models | Third-party Data, Commercially Sensitive Information, Alternative Format | – | This dataset contains third-party data held under licence. The cross-sectional survey data is available to download on OPWs national flood information portal https://www.floodinfo.ie. The model outputs including the CFRAM depth and extents data is available for direct download on data.gov.ie, or request, under an alternative licence. |
| CFRAM Medium Priority Watercourses (MPW) Non-Core PDF Maps | Superseded Data | – | This dataset is no longer available as the data has been superseded and is not updated. |
| CFRAM Model Nodes – Current Scenario | Commercially Sensitive Information | Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivatives 4.0 | Available for direct download on data.gov.ie under an alternative licence. |
| CFRAM Model Nodes – High-End Future Scenario | Commercially Sensitive Information | Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivatives 4.0 | Available for direct download on data.gov.ie under an alternative licence. |
| CFRAM Model Nodes – Mid-Range Future Scenario | Commercially Sensitive Information | Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivatives 4.0 | Available for direct download on data.gov.ie under an alternative licence. |
| CFRAM Modelled River Centrelines | Commercially Sensitive Information | Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivatives 4.0 | Available for direct download on data.gov.ie under an alternative licence. |
| CFRAM River Flood Depth – Current Scenario | Commercially Sensitive Information | Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivatives 4.0 | Available for request under an alternative licence. * |
| CFRAM River Flood Depth – High-End Future Scenario | Commercially Sensitive Information | Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivatives 4.0 | Available for request under an alternative licence. * |
| CFRAM River Flood Depth – Mid-Range Future Scenario | Commercially Sensitive Information | Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivatives 4.0 | Available for request under an alternative licence. * |
| CFRAM River Flood Extents – Current Scenario | Commercially Sensitive Information | Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivatives 4.0 | Available for direct download on data.gov.ie under an alternative licence. |
| CFRAM River Flood Extents – High-End Future Scenario | Commercially Sensitive Information | Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivatives 4.0 | Available for direct download on data.gov.ie under an alternative licence. |
| CFRAM River Flood Extents – Mid-Range Future Scenario | Commercially Sensitive Information | Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivatives 4.0 | Available for direct download on data.gov.ie under an alternative licence. |
| CFRAM Surveyed Flood Defence Lines | Deliberative Process | – | This dataset was the subject of a deliberative process and it would be contrary to the public interest to release it. |
| CFRAM Unit of Management (UoM) Boundaries | Commercially Sensitive Information | Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivatives 4.0 | Available for direct download on data.gov.ie under an alternative licence. |
| Highest Astronomical Tide (HAT) Inundation Depths | Third-party Data | – | This dataset is a derivative of third-party dataset held under licence. |
| Highest Astronomical Tide (HAT) Inundation Extents | Third-party Data | – | This dataset is a derivative of third-party data held under licence. |
| ICPSS 2010-2014 Erosion Rate Line | Commercially Sensitive Information | Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivatives 4.0 | Available for direct download on data.gov.ie under an alternative licence. |
| Mean High Water Springs (MHWS) Inundation Depths | Third-party Data | – | This dataset is a derivative of third-party data held under licence. |
| Mean High Water Springs (MHWS) Inundation Extents | Third-party Data | – | This dataset is a derivative of third-party data held under licence. |
| National Coastal Extreme Water Level Estimation Points (ICPSS 2010 – 2014) | Superseded Data | – | This dataset has been superseded by the National Coastal Extreme Water Level Estimation Points (ICWWS 2018 – Phase 1) data. The National Coastal Extreme Water Level Estimation Points (ICWWS 2018 – Phase 1) is available for direct download on data.gov.ie under an alternative licence. |
| National Floodplain DTM – Bray – Contours | Alternative Format Available | – | This dataset is available in an alternative format. The combined NFDTM DSM/DTM datasets are available for direct download on https://www.gsi.ie/en-ie/events-and-news/news/Pages/Open-Topographic-Data-Viewer.aspx under an alternative licence. |
| National Floodplain DTM – Bray – Derived Point Cloud | Alternative Format Available | – | This dataset is available in an alternative format. The combined NFDTM DSM/DTM datasets are available for direct download on https://www.gsi.ie/en-ie/events-and-news/news/Pages/Open-Topographic-Data-Viewer.aspx under an alternative licence. |
| National Floodplain DTM – Cork City – Classified Point Cloud | Alternative Format Available | – | This dataset is available in an alternative format. The combined NFDTM DSM/DTM datasets data are available for direct download on https://www.gsi.ie/en-ie/events-and-news/news/Pages/Open-Topographic-Data-Viewer.aspx under an alternative licence. |
| National Floodplain DTM – Cork City – Contours | Alternative Format Available | – | This dataset is available in an alternative format. The combined NFDTM DSM/DTM datasets data are available for direct download on https://www.gsi.ie/en-ie/events-and-news/news/Pages/Open-Topographic-Data-Viewer.aspx under an alternative licence. |
| National Floodplain DTM – Donegal – Contours | Alternative Format Available | – | This dataset is available in an alternative format. The combined NFDTM DSM/DTM datasets data are available for direct download on https://www.gsi.ie/en-ie/events-and-news/news/Pages/Open-Topographic-Data-Viewer.aspx under an alternative licence. |
| National Floodplain DTM – Donegal – Derived Point Cloud | Alternative Format Available | – | This dataset is available in an alternative format. The combined NFDTM DSM/DTM datasets data are available for direct download on https://www.gsi.ie/en-ie/events-and-news/news/Pages/Open-Topographic-Data-Viewer.aspx under an alternative licence. |
| National Floodplain DTM – Suir – Derived Point Cloud | Alternative Format Available | – | This dataset is available in an alternative format. The combined NFDTM DSM/DTM datasets data are available for direct download on https://www.gsi.ie/en-ie/events-and-news/news/Pages/Open-Topographic-Data-Viewer.aspx under an alternative licence. |
| Past Flood Event Extents | Commercially Sensitive Information | Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivatives 4.0 | Available for request under an alternative licence. * |
| Past Flood Event Photo Locations | Commercially Sensitive Information | Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivatives 4.0 | Available for request under an alternative licence. * |
| Past Flood Event Points | Commercially Sensitive Information | Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivatives 4.0 | Available for request under an alternative licence. * |
| ICPSS 2010-2014 Coastal Flood Depth – Current Scenario | Superseded Data | – | This dataset has been superseded by the National Coastal Flood Hazard Maps (NCFHM) 2021 data. The NCFHM 2021 depth data is available for request under an alternative licence. * |
| ICPSS 2010-2014 Coastal Flood Extents – Current Scenario | Superseded Data | – | This dataset has been superseded by the National Coastal Flood Hazard Maps (NCFHM) 2021 data. The NCFHM 2021 extents data is available for direct download on data.gov.ie under an alternative licence. |
| ICPSS 2010-2014 Coastal Flood Extents – High End Future Scenario | Superseded Data | – | This dataset has been superseded by the National Coastal Flood Hazard Maps (NCFHM) 2021 data. The NCFHM 2021 extents data is available for direct download on data.gov.ie under an alternative licence. |
| ICPSS 2010-2014 Coastal Flood Extents – Mid-Range Future Scenario | Superseded Data | – | This dataset has been superseded by the National Coastal Flood Hazard Maps (NCFHM) 2021 data. The NCFHM 2021 extents data is available for direct download on data.gov.ie under an alternative licence. |
| Tidal and Storm Surge Forecast Service Forecast Location Points for Period 10 | Commercially Sensitive Information | Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivatives 4.0 | Available for direct download on data.gov.ie under an alternative licence. |
| Tidal and Storm Surge Forecast Service Forecast Location Points for Periods 4-9 | Commercially Sensitive Information | Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivatives 4.0 | Available for direct download on data.gov.ie under an alternative licence. |
| Tidal and Storm Surge Forecast Service Forecast Period 10 Forecasts. | Commercially Sensitive Information | Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivatives 4.0 | Available for direct download on data.gov.ie under an alternative licence. |
| Tidal and Storm Surge Forecast Service Forecast Periods 4-9 Forecasts | Commercially Sensitive Information | Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivatives 4.0 | Available for direct download on data.gov.ie under an alternative licence. |
* This indicates data that will be made directly accessible on data.gov.ie under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivatives 4.0 licence, once a suitable technical solution has been implemented to disseminate the data structure. At present, a sub-set of the data is made available on request under the Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivatives 4.0 licence.
FOI: National Flood Forecasting & Warning Service Steering Group
FOI-0003-2025
Under FOI to request the following
1) National Flood Forecasting & Warning Service Steering Group – agendas, minutes and related meeting presentations or reports provided to or by the Group since established
2) Any minutes, agendas or reports/presentations to/from the related Flood Forecasting Communications Working Group since it was established.
You refined your request and subsequently the search and retrieval costs were identified
as set out under.
RTK would like to reduce the scope of the request to recent years, in this case 2023-2025 YTD
After careful consideration and consultations, I estimate that the services of four staff member(s) for 14 hours will be the minimum amount of time required to efficiently complete the ‘search and retrieval’ work on your request.
AIE Refusal: OPW, National Flood Forecasting & Warning Service Steering Group
Sent to appeal, 8/2/25
FOI Request: request for fees from OPW for access to flood data
Our Ref. FOI 003-2025
National Flood Forecasting & Warning Service Steering Group – agendas, minutes and related meeting presentations or reports provided to or by the Group since established.
Any minutes, agendas or reports/presentations to/from the related Flood Forecasting Communications Working Group since it was established.
Amended to records from 2023/2024
OPW flood related open data
https://www.floodinfo.ie/open-spatial-data-portal
In a number of cases flood related data is not
- open due to commercial sensitivities
- published on data.gov.ie
https://www.floodinfo.ie/open-spatial-data-portal/data-catalogue
Flood related data flagged as Commercially Sensitive Information
Update: (10/2/2025)
By way of clarification and prior to a decision being made on your requests under AIE and Open Data, I attach a spreadsheet with some details on access to these datasets.
The licences and formats have been reviewed and updated in most cases. On review a number of datasets contain identical data to datasets already available and have been removed from the data catalogue. A decision has been made to apply certain other changes, however some work remains to be done to prepare these for publication.
Some datasets have been removed because they are based on licensed datasets from third parties or have been superseded.
Some datasets have been reviewed and a significant amount of verification would be required before these could be relied on.
Regarding the grounds of Commercial Sensitivity, notwithstanding the limitations of the data set out in the disclaimer on Floodinfo, if the data were made available under a commercial license it could be immediately used by insurance companies and banks to restrict or curtail access to financial products and also to classify property and have an impact on the financial interests of individuals and businesses. There organisations are of course free to make their own determinations based on their own data and analysis.
Note: OPW have stated that following AIE/ODD request, a number of the datasets have been removed from the OPW data catalogue. As of 25 Sept 2024 — Open Spatial Data Catalogue. Showing 1 to 10 of 282 entries
Saved OPW Catalogue as at 10/2/25
AIE refusal: OPW flood related records (National Flood Forecast Warning Service (NFFWS))
AIE request AIE-14-01-2024
Under the AIE Regs to request the agendas, minutes and any related meeting presentations or reports provided to or by the following Groups within Met Eireann:
-National Flood Forecasting & Warning Service Steering Group
-Communications Working Group (CWG)
-Comms Technical Sub-Group
Background
In January 2016, the Government agreed to establish a National Flood Forecast Warning Service (NFFWS). International experience shows that developing a NFFWS is an iterative process over an extended timeframe and it was decided to develop the NFFWS in a staged basis.
A Steering Group, chaired by the OPW and comprising representatives from Met Éireann, the National Directorate for Fire and Emergency Management (NDFEM) of the Department of Housing, Local Government and Heritage, the County and City Management Association (CCMA) and the Department
of Agriculture, Food and the Marine, was established to steer, support and oversee the establishment of the new service over the initial establishment years.
Phase I – the establishment phase of the Service, is completed and a Flood Forecasting Centre is now operational within Met Éireann in their offices at Glasnevin, in Dublin. The Steering Group for the NFFWS is working on Stage II of the development of the NFFWS to enhance and extend the Service.
The Communications Working Group did not meet during the period in question and there were no records
“Comms Technical Sub-Group.” No such Sub-Group has been established in respect of the development of the NFFWS. In this regard, there were no records identified relevant to your request.
In relation to the National Flood Forecasting & Warning Service Steering Group I have identified a significant number of records in relation to agendas, minutes and related meeting presentations or reports provided to or by the Group
The work of the National Flood Forecasting & Warning Service Steering Group is on guiding, supporting and overseeing the establishment and development of the National Flood Forecasting & Warning Service.
The Service is not designed to protect the environment.
The Service does not affect nor is it likely to affect, the environment.
The records do not relate to the elements, or state of the elements, of the environment or releases into the environment or the state of human health and safety.
I have concluded that the information requested and contained in the records in relation to the National Flood Forecasting & Warning Service Steering Group does not comprise information that satisfies the definition of environmental information set out in Regulation 3(1) paragraphs (a) to (f). Having regard to the foregoing, your request for information under the AIE Regulations on the National Flood Forecasting & Warning Service Steering Group is refused.
OPW Arterial Drainage Schemes – Rapid Walkover River Survey – Pilot Methodology
Purpose and Background
- Commissioned by OPW: Mayfly Ecology developed a rapid survey method for arterial drainage schemes (ADSs) to assess river and habitat conditions effectively over extensive networks (11,500 km).
- Pilot Survey: Initially tested on Brickey ADS, highlighting the need for efficiency without compromising on the quality of baseline ecological data.
- Objective: Provide an overview of hydrology, habitats, and environmental conditions to identify key features and areas requiring further assessment.
Key Features of the Methodology
- Scope and Application
- Designed for large-scale surveys across ADSs.
- Assesses hydrology, habitat quality, and potential habitats for sensitive species like otters, kingfishers, and Annex I habitats (EU Habitats Directive).
- Not a substitute for detailed species-specific assessments but indicates areas for further investigation.
- Desktop Review
- Preliminary analysis using GIS tools (QGIS, ArcGIS).
- Data sources include EPA, NPWS, NBDC, and OPW databases.
- Targets habitat mapping, invasive species distribution, and Water Framework Directive (WFD) data.
- Field Survey Methodology
- Survey Approach: Covers riverbanks, channels, and adjacent land; subdivides river sections (~500–1000m) for focused assessment.
- Spot Checks: A minimum of 5 to 10 per section to identify habitat diversity and potential features.
- Seasonality: Optimal period is May-June, but surveys can extend from April to September based on local conditions.
- Physio-Chemical Parameters: Measures dissolved oxygen, pH, conductivity, and temperature at key points.
Data Collection Parameters
- General Information
- Records site-specific details, including GPS coordinates, habitat classification (using Fossitt codes), shading, substrate composition, and water depth.
- Photographs
- Captures typical habitats and significant features (e.g., spawning grounds, otter holts, invasive species).
- Species and Habitat Assessment
- Salmonids: Evaluates spawning, juvenile, and adult habitats based on substrate quality, water depth, and riparian cover.
- Lamprey: Focuses on spawning sites, nursery areas, and barriers affecting migration.
- Otters and Kingfishers: Notes field signs (spraints, nests) and habitat suitability.
- Bats: Highlights potential roosting sites (trees, structures).
- Terrestrial and Aquatic Vegetation: Identifies dominant vegetation and potential Annex I habitats.
- Invasive Species Biosecurity
- Implements the “Check-Clean-Dry” protocol to prevent pathogen transfer.
- Prioritizes upstream-to-downstream surveys to minimize contamination risks.
Survey Equipment
- Includes waders, waterproof notebooks, cameras, GPS devices, meters (DO, pH), and personal safety gear.
- Ensures preparedness for challenging terrains and seasonal variations.
Rating System
- Habitat Suitability Ratings
- A 5-point scale evaluates conditions (1 = Bad to 5 = Excellent) for species at various life stages.
- Factors include substrate quality, habitat heterogeneity, and accessibility.
- Specific Challenges
- Barriers: Assesses the impact of weirs, culverts, and dams on species migration.
- Water Quality: Correlates biological and chemical parameters with habitat suitability.
Output and Reporting
- Provides baseline ecological data for management decisions.
- Summarizes findings at the section and overall channel level to guide conservation efforts.
- Identifies critical habitats and areas requiring remedial measures or detailed studies.
Applications and Limitations
- Applications: Suitable for ADS assessments, WFD monitoring, and preliminary conservation studies.
- Limitations: Not comprehensive for species-specific requirements or population studies; further investigation recommended for significant findings.
This methodology balances efficiency and ecological detail, ensuring it is feasible for extensive networks while identifying conservation priorities. Let me know if you need further analysis of specific sections or habitat details.
Source
https://www.etenders.gov.ie/epps/cft/listContractDocuments.do?resourceId=4705304
AIE: List of Consent decisions under Section 9, 47 and 50 of the Arterial Drainage Act 1945
AIE 6-1-23
Under the AIE Regs to request copies of
1) all Section 50s granted
2) all Section 50s refused
3) all Section 9s granted
4) all Section 9s refused
5) all Section 47s granted
6) all Section 47s refused
Notes:
Section 50: Arterial Drainage Act, 1945 The consent of the Commissioners is required by bodies and persons proposing to carry out construction/alteration works on bridges and culverts.
Section 9: Arterial Drainage Amendment Act, 1995 The Commissioners may consent to alterations to existing watercourses or structures in Drainage Schemes if the proposed works would not increase the risk of flooding or have a negative impact on drainage of land.
Section 47: Arterial Drainage Act, 1945 Any person planning to erect or alter a weir must first get consent from the Commissioners or all the affected landowners.’
Note:
Applications for consents are received across three geographical locations, and Head Office in Trim. They are received in electronic and paper format. While the OPW seek to make a decision on a consent within eight weeks, this is not always possible due to the application contents. The OPW as lead agency for flood risk management in Ireland assess the submitted design proposal, and it may require further communication between parties before a decision may be reached. This may result in the consent being granted some considerable time after the original application date.
Where an application status is marked as ‘request for information’ (RFI), a request from the OPW has issued to the applicant/agent for further/revised information.
The applications and subsequent communications contain large amounts of personal data, and the OPW must be mindful of the General Data Protection Act, when considering the release of data.
Schedule
List of consents
Construction, Replacement or Alteration of Bridges and Culverts – A Guide to Applying for Consent under Section 50 of the Arterial Drainage Act, 1945
Sample Consent
Download the list of consents in Excel