The risk of severe flooding has increased in recent decades because of inappropriate development across the country, Minister of State for the Office of Public Works (OPW) Tom Parlon has said.
While the underlying causes of floods - heavy rain and high sea levels - are "essentially uncontrollable", Mr Parlon said that development could exert an important influence on their extent and severity.
"Inappropriate development has the potential to cause severe hardship due to flooding of the development itself and by causing or exacerbating flooding elsewhere," he said.
"Development is of course essential but it is vital that future development will be sustainable and will neither cause flooding nor be at risk of flooding itself."
Mr Parlon said part of the problem was that many floodplains had been built on in the past 15-20 years.
"We can't undo that damage, but we shouldn't exacerbate it by having any further development in inappropriate areas," he said.
The Minister was speaking at the launch of a new flood hazard mapping website - www.floodmaps.ie - aimed at highlighting flood risk areas throughout Ireland.
The maps have been designed to assist planners when developing areas which could be affected by tidal, fluvial or surface waters.
Set up by the OPW, the website includes detailed maps and historical information dating back more than 100 years.
Mr Parlon said: "Our experience has shown that when flooding has not happened in an area for a number of years the fact that it happened at all fades from memory and is often overlooked when new development is being considered.
"It is only when flooding occurs again as a result of some extreme climatic event that memories are jogged and suddenly people begin to ask how such development could have been permitted. Flood hazard maps are an important record to help overcome such . . . loss of memory."
Planning authorities, organisations and members of the public are urged to study the maps for the purpose of land-use zoning, development control, planning of infrastructure and identification of properties at risk.
Homeowners can also learn if there is a threat to their properties.
The OPW assumed lead responsibility for flood policy after a review was carried out in 2004.
An interdepartmental group was recently established to review the role of the various bodies and State agencies in implementing the policy.