Ms Catherine Kirwan:

As regards the disruption Deputy Canney referenced, the OPW cost-benefit analysis completely excludes any losses sustained during construction. It looks at that and ignores it completely. Even if every family business in the city centre were forced to close, it would not form part of the cost-benefit analysis. That is wrong and makes no sense. We attended a meeting many months ago with the steering committee and were told that the heritage loss, which has been acknowledged by the OPW, is part of the cost-benefit analysis. We believe the loss of heritage has been given an inadequate weighting and forms just a small part of the cost-benefit analysis, but in reality it is an irreplaceable part of the character of the city. As I said, one goes to Bruges to look not at concrete but at what has been there for centuries.