Seán Canney (Galway East, Independent) | Oireachtas source

As regards Deputy Calleary's question, I do not have the figures nationally but it is an ongoing process. For instance, Galway County Council has produced its report and a schedule of works. About eight schemes have been approved and six are in the process of being approved. Approximately 24 more are being worked on at the moment. I do not know if that is reflected all over the country but that is what has been happening since the flooding in 2015.

Everything that can be done will be done under the law to try to shorten the process by which we get works done. We must obey the rules and directives, but I am confident that when we have finished the process - which I have set out with the Department of the Environment, Community and Local Government, involving my colleagues the Minister, Deputy Heather Humphreys, and the Minister of State, Deputy Eoghan Murphy - we will create a framework by which we will get procurement, design and implementation of projects. We will thus shorten the time involved to a reasonable period.

Currently, on average, it can take up to seven years to get major projects from inception to arrival on site. We have to do something about that. I assure Deputies that I will do everything to try to improve on that with the co-operation of all the other Departments involved. I am confident that we will achieve that.

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