Alan Dillon (Mayo, Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

I welcome the witnesses who are joining us today and thank them for their opening statements. Last December, the Department of Public Expenditure, National Development Plan Delivery and Reform came before the Committee of Public Accounts and, at that session, one of Mr. Moloney's colleagues, Ms Marie Mulvihill, the principal officer over flood relief management, mentioned that the second public consultation on the Crossmolina flood relief scheme had concluded in July 2022 and that the report was with the Minister for his review and consent. That was in December 2022 but we are still no further on with the delivery of this project. My first question to Mr. Moloney, as Secretary General of the Department, is on concerns similar to those of Deputy Burke regarding delays in the delivery of flood relief schemes, especially the Crossmolina flood relief scheme. The residents of the community have been waiting for eight years and have been living in fear and anxiety as to when the next flood will happen. Will Mr. Moloney give us an update on this issue and on the ongoing delays in delivering this project that are apparent within his Department?