Kevin Moran (Longford-Westmeath, Independent) | Oireachtas source

As of today, there are 90 schemes on which we are working with local authorities. Some of them have started, while some are in the planning pipeline. To reiterate what I said: there will be no delays, but there could, as the Deputy said, be delays because of planning issues. For example, I was hoping to be in Cork, with work started and machines on site, at the end of last year, but that did not happen. However, it was outside our control because people were objecting. The same is true of the project in Ennis south. I was hoping to be there at the end of last summer, but we will be signing the contracts next week. Some schemes might be delayed in the planning process, but I believe and know that the €3 million worth of investment has been lost because of the delays in moving those schemes through the planning process. There are, however, many schemes that will be achieved. When I was asked about the cut of €3 million, I took it out of the area of flood relief measures for the simple reason that I knew some of the schemes were being delayed in the planning process. They might be delayed by two or three months.

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