Patrick O'Donovan (Limerick County, Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

The Deputy is right. This scheme was the first to be approved under the new arterial drainage regulations, which came into force in 2019. It is important to state on behalf of the Department that Cork City Council, as the Deputy said, is the lead authority in this and is the negotiating authority in the appointment of a contractor, which is commercially sensitive and confidential. I am precluded from uttering anything that would in any way interfere in that, other than to say the Office of Public Works is committed to working with Cork City Council to try to form a resolution around this.

The council has also taken guidance from the Office of Government Procurement in respect of the appointment of a contractor, which is normal in the appointment of contractors at this scale, because this is not an insignificant number of properties, when we look at the areas that will be covered. These include an industrial estate at Sallybrook, shopping centres, housing estates, and Glanmire village itself towards John O'Callaghan Park. The Deputy has raised this matter previously, as have other Members, including Deputy Colm Burke. The OPW is unwavering in its commitment to Cork City Council to move this forward.

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