Finian McGrath (Dublin North Central, Independent) | Oireachtas source

I thank the Minister of State for his response, but I disagree with him and Dublin City Council on this project. The name of the project was very misleading. It was called the Sutton to Sandycove scheme, which received approval in 2013 in an interim works project. It comprised elements of two schemes, one of which was the Dollymount promenade and flood protection project which received An Bord Pleanála approval in 2011. The Minister of State should also note that the conditions of that approval still apply to this interim project as far as flood defences go.

Condition No. 5 clearly states that an environmental and liaison committee shall be established with the local community representatives. It would appear that this has not happened and Dublin City Council may be in breach of An Bord Pleanála planning conditions. If this is the case, this is a very serious matter. I call on the city manager, Mr. Keegan, to make a statement on this matter. At a recent information meeting with councillors, Dublin City Council admitted that it was its intention to build the sea wall in question higher than the 4.25 m permission granted in Part VIII of the approval in 2013.

The other issue is that, as I said, it was called the S2S Cycleway & Footway Interim Works: Bull Road to Causeway Road. There was no mention of the term "flood" in the title. Section 371 on page 11 deals with flood defence measures, but the most important section is section 48 on page 25 which refers to the wall and states that it will be only slightly higher than the level of the footpath. The page also contains a drawing. Dublin City Council has refused to meet residents and local groups and also gave a very misleading report. The people of the northside are very angry about this wall. We support the cycleway and want anti-flood measures but we want them to be decently done and to ensure that they do not destroy our lovely bay.

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