Catherine Connolly (Galway West, Independent) | Oireachtas source

I wish the Minister of State the best in his job. Forgive my frustration. Maybe I should not use the phrase " appalling delays", but rather the absolutely unacceptable delay. I sat on the council. Like many people here, I was very familiar with the CFRAM programme and the necessity then following that to have flood defences. I think I am on my fourth Minister; it could be the fifth. Everyone took a hands-on approach. Planning originally was to be September 2023. Then it changed to July 2025. Then it became July 2027. The construction was to commence in October 2025, then June 2026, then December 2027. The completion date was to be September 2027. The next completion date was 2029, and March 2031 is now the completion date. We have had one public consultation. I know there will be another walk-in consultation in June this year. With regard to the figure of 312 properties, the city council knows that as well the engineers from back in 2021. The project has gone from €9 million to €50 million.

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