Chairman:

Gabhaim míle buíochas as an gcur i láthair sin. I will start with my questions. There is no doubt that flood prevention is the objective of both sides of the debate. Anybody who has seen the catastrophic damage that has occurred in Cork over the last number of years would obviously be of the view that we must tackle flooding in the most efficient manner possible. That is important. Economic costs will be crucial in whatever solution is selected for this. The impact on business is also very important.

It is very important to determine which proposal would have the least impact. The area which each solution covers is obviously an important element. I know there is disagreement over costs and we will hopefully drill down into those questions in a little while. The cost per acre protected is also a key question. In my view, the amount of space a solution looks after would be the yardstick by which to measure the cost of a particular project.

I will ask a couple of questions of the Office of Public Works first. Which of these projects does the OPW think is least invasive with respect to businesses? I imagine that work on the walls will involve works on some of the roads and that there will be construction works in the city for a number of years. Which roads would have to be closed and what construction would have to happen in that period of time? How long would it take from start to finish, from when the first shovel hits the ground to when the project is finished?