Results 3,281-3,300 of 10,569 for speaker:Patrick O'Donovan

Written Answers — Department of Public Expenditure and Reform: Flood Risk Management (29 Sep 2021)

Patrick O'Donovan: I propose to take Questions Nos. 90 and 91 together. The Office of Public Works (OPW) submitted the Crossmolina Flood Relief Scheme documentation to the Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform for Statutory Confirmation under the Arterial Drainage Acts 1945 and 1995 on 28thSeptember 2020. As part of this statutory process, stakeholders were afforded a formal opportunity to provide...

Written Answers — Department of Public Expenditure and Reform: Coast Guard Service (29 Sep 2021)

Patrick O'Donovan: The Commissioners of Public Works (OPW) are actively engaged with Mayo County Council in relation to the transfer of the site identified for the new Coast Guard Station in Westport to the OPW.   Legal contracts for the transfer of the site have been agreed and are ready for execution subject to vacant possession.  Full Planning Permission has been granted and...

Written Answers — Department of Public Expenditure and Reform: An Garda Síochána (28 Sep 2021)

Patrick O'Donovan: While the main construction works to the Garda Station building have been completed, commissioning of certain mechanical and electrical installations has not yet been demonstrated to the required standards. The Office of Public Works (OPW) has been actively engaging with the contractor on this issue and the contractor has advised OPW that it expects that all of the outstanding...

Written Answers — Department of Public Expenditure and Reform: Waterways Issues (28 Sep 2021)

Patrick O'Donovan: The Office of Public Works (OPW) has maintenance responsibility for Arterial Drainage Schemes completed under the Arterial Drainage Acts 1945 and 1995. Each year the OPW carries out work to approximately 2000km of channels and about 200 structures around the country as part of its ongoing and rolling arterial drainage maintenance programme. The River Galey maintenance works programme is...

Written Answers — Department of Public Expenditure and Reform: Flood Risk Management (28 Sep 2021)

Patrick O'Donovan: The Enniscorthy (River Slaney) flood defence scheme is being progressed by Wexford County Council (WCC) on behalf of the Commissioners of Public Works as a scheme under the Arterial Drainage Acts 1945 and 1995. This is a significant scheme within the Office of Public Works €1 billion flood relief investment programme nationally, from which the relevant funding for the Enniscorthy...

Written Answers — Department of Public Expenditure and Reform: Departmental Properties (28 Sep 2021)

Patrick O'Donovan: I am informed by the Commissioners of Public Works (OPW) that this matter is being reviewed. However as the files have to be recalled from offsite storage it is not possible to provide a response within the usual timeframe for PQs. A response will issue directly to the Deputy as soon as possible.

Written Answers — Department of Public Expenditure and Reform: Heritage Projects (28 Sep 2021)

Patrick O'Donovan: The Office of Public Works (OPW) is in the process of providing continuing routine maintenance to the surface of the public car park at Castletown, Celbridge, County Kildare. These works are part of the ongoing maintenance works carried out at Castletown on an annual basis. There are no plans to replace the surface at this time.

Written Answers — Department of Public Expenditure and Reform: Office of Public Works (28 Sep 2021)

Patrick O'Donovan: The OPW is first and foremost a service organisation. We are primarily concerned with the delivery of services to our customers. Our ethos is client focus, timely delivery and value for money in a sustainable manner. Through the OPW Customer Action Plan, we are committed to providing a professional, efficient and courteous service to all our customers, as well as the delivering the highest...

Written Answers — Department of Public Expenditure and Reform: Coastal Protection (28 Sep 2021)

Patrick O'Donovan: In 2018, €1bn investment was made available to the Office of Public Works over the lifetime of the National Development Plan 2018-2027 to implement the recommendations of the Flood Risk Management Plans as part of Project 2040. This investment is to underpin the delivery of the existing capital flood relief programme and the additional flood relief schemes recommended in the Flood Risk...

Ceisteanna Eile (Atógáil) - Other Questions (Resumed): National Monuments (23 Sep 2021)

Patrick O'Donovan: I thank the Deputy for raising this issue. As she is aware, on the night of 8 and 9 February 2020, extensive damage was caused to Carlow Castle following Storm Ciara. Subsequent investigations led to the discovery that the base of the collapse was constructed on clay foundations. This had major consequences for the safe repair and reconstruction of this section of the wall. The Office of...

Ceisteanna Eile (Atógáil) - Other Questions (Resumed): National Monuments (23 Sep 2021)

Patrick O'Donovan: As I said in a previous response to Deputy Stanton, I met yesterday with the Minister of State, Deputy Malcolm Noonan, to discuss the issue of properties for which the OPW is responsible. These are owned by the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage but we have responsibility for managing their maintenance and preservation. I have opened discussions with the Minister and I hope...

Ceisteanna Eile (Atógáil) - Other Questions (Resumed): National Monuments (23 Sep 2021)

Patrick O'Donovan: I am sure Deputy Murnane O'Connor will acknowledge that we made a significant investment recently in County Carlow through the dolmen project, which I am glad has finally been finished. I hope to be able to see it when I go there within the next few weeks. Every Deputy in the House performed a tour de forcerecently in looking for money from my senior colleague, the Minister, Deputy McGrath....

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: National Monuments (23 Sep 2021)

Patrick O'Donovan: The answer is "Yes". We had a meeting with the Minister of State at the Department of Housing, Local Government and Heritage, Deputy Noonan, to discuss the broader issue yesterday. We are engaged with Fáilte Ireland on the whole issue of how we look at our estate and at the responsibilities we have. As the Deputy will know, during the Covid-19 pandemic, thanks to support I received...

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: National Monuments (23 Sep 2021)

Patrick O'Donovan: Due to the nature of the work the OPW does, social distancing and public health issues have meant that we have been put offsite twice, which has been desperately frustrating. I know the Deputy and other public representatives in the east Cork area would like this to be put on the record of the House. Last year OPW outdoor staff in Barryscourt came to the rescue when a group of local nuns in...

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: National Monuments (23 Sep 2021)

Patrick O'Donovan: I understand from the Commissioners of Public Works that works are continuing on the external walls of Barryscourt Castle. The conservation nature of this project requires the use of heritage products and traditional lime mortar, which requires painstaking attention to detail and expert craftsmanship. The OPW is on target to complete its programme for 2021, which will leave 50% of the south...

Ceisteanna - Questions - Ceisteanna ar Sonraíodh Uain Dóibh - Priority Questions: Flood Risk Management (23 Sep 2021)

Patrick O'Donovan: The Deputy will be aware that during and since the summer of 2020, I have had a number of opportunities to visit the west Cork area - not just Bantry, but also Clonakilty, Bandon, Skibbereen and Rosscarbery. In the intervening period, I have met the Cork county manager and his team to follow up on what exactly has been done in the interim period. The commissioner of the OPW with...

Ceisteanna - Questions - Ceisteanna ar Sonraíodh Uain Dóibh - Priority Questions: Flood Risk Management (23 Sep 2021)

Patrick O'Donovan: From my perspective, and I am on the record of the House as making the point, when the State, through the Exchequer and the taxpayers, puts large sums of money into protecting communities from flooding, whether in Mallow, Fermoy or elsewhere in County Cork, in Clonmel in County Tipperary or in any other town in the country, and these investments are proven to work, there is a reciprocal...

Ceisteanna - Questions - Ceisteanna ar Sonraíodh Uain Dóibh - Priority Questions: Flood Risk Management (23 Sep 2021)

Patrick O'Donovan: Where schemes work and have been finished for years, as a citizen, taxpayer and representative of the people, I would expect that Insurance Ireland would provide insurance. Where that is not the case, I think it is a legitimate question-----

Ceisteanna - Questions - Ceisteanna ar Sonraíodh Uain Dóibh - Priority Questions: Flood Risk Management (23 Sep 2021)

Patrick O'Donovan: That is not a matter for the OPW. Those working at the OPW are engineers, not underwriters. It is not our job to assess insurance. That is the responsibility of an entirely different part of the Government.

Ceisteanna - Questions - Ceisteanna ar Sonraíodh Uain Dóibh - Priority Questions: Flood Risk Management (23 Sep 2021)

Patrick O'Donovan: Where we finish schemes, we do so with local authorities. Where schemes are finished, and there is plenty of evidence of this around the country, that is a legitimate question that needs to be asked. However, it is one for an entirely different Department. Insurance Ireland has a role to play in this. There needs to be a bit of honesty attached to it. Where hundreds of millions of euro -...