The Minister of State for the OPW with special responsibility for Flood Relief, Kevin ‘Boxer’ Moran visited Scotland this week and took in a range of briefings concerning flood risk management, the protection of historic sites and the encouragement of young people into developing a love for heritage.
Scotland is home to a large Irish community, including 60,000 people born on the island of Ireland (of whom 37,000 were born in Northern Ireland). Some 50,000 residents of Scotland declare their principal ethnic identity as Irish.
Minister Moran received extensive briefings on the overall Flood Risk Management Policy Framework in Scotland, the role of the Scottish Environmental Protection Authority in this policy and the operational role of the Scottish Borders Council.
Minister Moran visited the site of the Eddleston Catchment and saw, at first hand, the efforts to provide solutions to flooding in the area. The Eddleston Water Project aims to reduce flood risk and restore the Eddleston Water for the benefit of the local community and wildlife. A series of practical works are taking place throughout the Eddleston Catchment as part of an overall plan to restore the river and valley.
The project is a partnership initiative led by Tweed Forum, with the Scottish Government, Scottish Environment Protection Agency and University of Dundee. Other key partners include British Geological Survey, Scottish Borders Council, Scottish Natural Heritage, the Forestry Commission, National Farmers’ Union of Scotland, the Tweed Foundation, Forest Carbon and the Woodland Trust.
Minister Moran explained,
“Tweed Forum works closely with landowners and the local community and reflects our own efforts in this country in establishing a close working relationship with all interest groups in the management of flood risk.”
Minister Moran also received briefings on Resilience from the Scottish Flood Forum and on the practical deployment of Property Level Protection from the Scottish Borders Council.Minister Moran said,
“I found both discussions to have been extremely beneficial and how local communities have been encouraged and assisted in their own efforts to provide support for each other during major flood alerts, particularly when it comes to looking after vulnerable people such as the elderly and the infirm.”
On the second day of his visit, Minister Moran travelled to the Historic Environment Scotland Masonry Training Facility at Forth Valley College at Stirling where he met with some of the apprentices there. Scotland’s Cabinet Secretary for Culture, Tourism and External Affairs, Fiona Hyslop, visited Dublin last July, meeting with Minister of State Moran at the Four Courts to announce an Irish-Scottish collaboration on conservation works there involving apprentice stonemasons.
Minister Moran also visited the Engine Shed based in Stirling where he was met by Dr. David Mitchell, Director at the Engine Shed and his staff. The Engine Shed is Scotland’s dedicated building conservation centre. Run by Historic Environment Scotland, it serves as a central hub for building and conservation professionals and the public, including schoolchildren.
“I was very impressed with the level of activity that was taking place there, particularly in the interactive way that the centre was able to engage young children in history and heritage. I believe that some of the initiatives I witnessed would have practical implications in Ireland,”
said Minister Moran.
Minister Moran travelled to the Scottish Parliament and met with Roseanna Cunningham, MSP, Cabinet Secretary for Environment, Climate Change and Land Reform.
“Our discussions centred on areas of mutual concern with regard to flood risk management programmes, their implementation and planning for the effects of climate change”,
the Minister said.
Before departing Edinburgh, Minister Moran visited Edinburgh Castle where he met with officials involved in the preservation of the Castle and other historic monuments in Scotland. District Architect, Bruce Chandler demonstrated how Historic Environment Scotland is successfully tackling the issue of conservation and energy efficiency at the Castle and the potential risks arising from climate change at historic sites throughout Scotland.