Shane Cassells (Meath West, Fianna Fail) | Oireachtas source

I thank the team for the presentation. I would like to recap on some of the evidence we have heard this morning and the explanations given that the overruns on the Estimates are due to a learning curve. The learning curve has cost €5.5 million more than the additional anticipated costs and a delay of a decade. The programme direction and progress reports were lacking.

I note what has been said about the OPW getting it right. Is the OPW confident that the scope of the immediate work to be done in certain designated areas, earmarked on page 42, can be achieved in a timely fashion and within budget having regard to what Deputy Kelly said about future plans and given what it has learned from this experience?

Flood mapping was referred to and is having a huge impact on development centres across the country, effectively sterilising areas. Is there confidence that the schemes can be developed? We are going into a period of development again but huge areas are effectively being sterilised by the mapping now in place in various development plans.