John Connolly (Galway West, Fianna Fail)

Like many people who have already spoken on the issue, most of my comments will be confined to local issues as they pertain to flooding and the risk of flooding in my constituency. I ask the Minister of State about the ongoing study on the flood risk that arises on the coast line between Oranmore and Kinvara. A study was commenced in February 2024 and given a timeline of in the region of 12 months. We do not yet know the outcome of that study. I think we can take it as given that the outcome will propose that a significant level of protection is required to protect the community there. I encourage the Minister of State to ensure that, following the publication of the study, a budget is provided in his Department to facilitate the outcome of that study.

I am not sure if the Minister of State was in office during Storm Debi. He may recall the devastation it brought to business and life in the village of Clarinbridge in County Galway. This study aims to ensure that this does not reoccur. I am no engineering expert but I cannot see the remediation of the risk at this location coming within the minor flood mitigation works and coastal protection scheme category. I think it will require a far more significant budget than what is available. We cannot allow for a significant gap in time between the publication of the study, which I hope is imminent, and the commencement of the design of the flood relief measures. The risk of flooding of a nature that occurred during Storm Debi at that location is simply too significant. There will be challenges with that because it is an area of significant natural beauty and is located adjacent to the Galway Bay special area of conservation.

I also want to discuss the Clifden flood relief scheme. A draft options report for that scheme to manage the flood risk has been presented and I understand that it is with the OPW. My understanding is that the OPW has sought further information from Galway County Council and it is the opinion of the council that all the information the OPW needs is in its possession. What is required now is a decision to progress the scheme. I have not been able to access the draft report on flooding in Clifden. I do not know what remediation proposals are suggested in the draft report. This is something that interests the community there, which would be interested in reading that report, as would I. It would help to get more information about the decision-making process within the OPW but it does not seem as though a decision is imminent, when it should be.

I was concerned that in a recent response to a question of mine, the Minister of State advised that it is open to Galway County Council to make an application for funding under the OPW’s minor flood mitigation works. That should not be necessary. I understand that a budget has been provided and funding has been agreed. The OPW is saying that it accepts the report, this is the best recommendation coming from the report and we should progress to develop that scheme at the earliest opportunity.

The final scheme I will discuss is probably the most complex, and this is reflected in the length of time it will take to bring it to fruition. Consultants were appointed for the Coirib go Cósta - Galway city flood relief scheme in 2020 and it is now not expected that construction will commence until 2030. This is a ten-year design and planning phase, which seems excessive. I heard a colleague say earlier that it is hoped to go to planning in 2027. I am concerned by what the planning process might encounter. Galway city is proximate to Galway Bay complex special area of conservation. I think the community would be very interested in seeing the final design for the flood relief works in the city. The design may not meet with universal agreement. Hopefully, by the time it enters the planning process, the new planning Act will be in action and we will be guaranteed a decision within the legislative timeframe of 26 weeks. I hope this will be the outcome. I recognise that it is a complex project that will be designed to protect the city against tidal and fluvial flooding. Some of the complexities that have delayed the project have been caused by the processes and systems we use in bring projects to fruition. Even at this point - midstream - I hope we can expedite it and bring it to fruition more quickly. I ask the Minister of State to use whatever powers and resources are in his Department to make sure it happens.

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