Paschal Donohoe (Dublin Central, Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

I listened to what Deputy MacSharry had to say about Sligo Garda station and the different issues that have been raised with that. I am not in a position to give the Deputy an update on the matter in the Dáil this afternoon as I am primarily in here to answer questions on flood risk management but I know this is an important matter and I will follow up on it with the Minister for Justice and Equality, Deputy Flanagan, and with the different Members who Deputy MacSharry has referred to in order to clarify where that very important policing and Garda station project stands.

On the status of the Glanmire flood relief scheme, I am aware of this particular project and it has been raised with me on many different occasions. Following a detailed review of the submissions by environmental consultants, a request for supplementary information for both schemes has been made by my Department to the Office of Public Works. My Department needs this information back before we are in a position to make a decision on that particular scheme. On foot of the Deputy raising this matter with me, which has been raised with me on a number of occasions, I will find out the exact status of that information and revert to him to let him know what impact it will have on the decision-making on a project that I know his community has a huge amount of interest in.

I refer to the points Deputy James Browne raised about the status of the flood defence scheme in Enniscorthy for the River Slaney. My Department will progress the formal confirmation process, having regard to the regulations for decision-making on schemes such as that which were introduced in 2019. As the Deputy said, we have a tender process under way for environmental consultants but we are looking to begin the next phase of public consultation on this project as soon as we can and I will come back to the Deputy with detail on the timing of the tendering process for environmental consultants.

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