Ossian Smyth (Dún Laoghaire, Green Party) | Oireachtas source

The Minister of State, Deputy O'Donovan, has asked me to answer his questions relating to the OPW this evening.

In response to the Deputy’s question and previous questions with respect to the status of the Coirib go Cósta project, I am happy to provide an update. As the Deputy is aware, major flood relief schemes involve complex engineering and construction operations that can impact on people's living, built and natural environment and therefore require lengthy planning and decision lead-in times. The process follows a number of stages, from feasibility through procurement and public consultation to construction. It is important that the work is done correctly and achieves its objectives. Detailed technical analysis is required to establish the most appropriate solution, technically and environmentally, from a range of possible mitigation options.

As previously stated, while not complete, early indications from the ongoing hydrological and hydraulic modelling for the scheme indicate that there may be a requirement to provide significantly more defences across the city than was originally anticipated through the CFRAM programme.

Part of stage one, which is project appraisal, for any flood relief scheme is the review and update of design flow and water level data. On the Coirib go Cósta project this review and update, since completion of the western CFRAM study, have resulted in several years of additional flow and water level recordings being utilised, which, together with detailed wave overtopping analysis, has resulted in a potentially significant increase in flood risk to several areas of Galway city. This increase in flood risk is primarily due to higher tidal design levels and an increase in wave overtopping volumes, which has led to larger flood extents and a greater number of properties that are potentially affected.

The process of confirming the scope, though time-consuming and complex, is an important part of the project and, as previously advised, will result in an impact on the scheme's programme. The Deputy should also note that although the programme will be extended, other aspects of the project are continuing to progress. It is expected that these additional flood relief works will be scoped and agreed in the third quarter of 2023 between Galway City Council, the OPW and the scheme consultants and that the revised project programme will then be made available and uploaded to the project website.

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