Catherine Connolly (Galway West, Independent)

The Minister of State and I have had an engagement on this before. First, the scheme in Galway has not been prevented because of objections or bureaucracy. Second, the catchment flood risk assessment and management was the biggest flood risk assessment and it affected two thirds of the population. It was a brilliant piece of work. It was completed in 2018. Unfortunately, when the consultants were eventually appointed in 2020, they came back with a report that identified that the scale of the flood risk in Galway is much greater than that identified by the CFRAM study. We were therefore in trouble from day one because the study was based on outdated information on the scale and the rapidity of the change due to climate change.

What is proposed in Galway, and in Clifden, was already mentioned; I will not repeat it. We need those reports urgently on Clifden and Oranmore to Kinvara, which was greatly affected by the last storm and flooding. I have a parochial interest in what is proposed in the Claddagh because I live there. There was supposed to be a scheme for 312 properties and then 940. I have no problem with that but from day one it was obvious. The scheme moved forward and went backwards. I received the following reply: "As regards the increased work involved, Galway City Council engaged with its [consultants] to reprogramme the scheme. This has been agreed in principle by the steering group, and the revised dates are as follows." Submission of planning was to be September 2023, then July 2025 and then it went forward to July 2027, subject to the revised programme being agreed. Then, construction was to begin in October 2025, then 2029. Now it is March 2031. The planning was set for September 2023, then 2025 and then 2027. The Minister of State can see the frustration, all because the size of the project was never anticipated. They were working from the wrong figures and data. The following was the reply to my most recent question on the matter in February this year, "There will be an opportunity for the public to view and comment on the design options, currently scheduled to take place in June 2025." Will the Minister of State tell me in his summing up, which I will watch from my office, whether that specific timeline is on target? Will that be missed as well?

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