Stephen Donnelly (Wicklow, Independent)
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431. To ask the Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform if he will provide a full update on the River Dargle flood defence scheme, with specific reference to the delay in underpinning the Bray bridge, the design issue which has led to delayed progress around People's Park; when works in Area 5 from the N11 Bridge to Rehills land will be completed; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [36910/13]

Brian Hayes (Dublin South West, Fine Gael)
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The River Dargle (Bray) Flood Relief Scheme is being carried out by Bray Town Council, as the Contracting Authority, with funding from the Office of Public Works. The contract is a design-build arrangement, whereby a degree of the detailed design of the works is undertaken by the contractor.

Progress has been made in many areas including on the construction of the new culvert and on the underpinning of Bray Bridge and river regrading, soil nailing and erosion protection in Area 5. This work will be of considerable benefit in reducing flood risk.

Progress in relation to Area 3 (between western end of People’s Park to Bray Bridge) and a portion of Area 4 (between People’s Park and Rehills Lands/the Slang) has been delayed arising out of a fundamental disagreement between the Town Council and the contractor in relation to the latter's design proposals for these areas, which are significantly at variance with the proposals included in the contractor's Works Proposals under the contract. This issue has been referred by the contractor to third party conciliation, as provided for in the contract. The parties subsequently agreed to extend the ambit of the conciliation to encompass issues relating to other areas of the scheme. The conciliation process, which is conducted on a confidential and without prejudice basis, is expected to conclude shortly. The outcome will determine which approach is to be taken to deal with the matters in dispute and, in this context, how the remainder of the scheme will be progressed. It is therefore not possible at this point to give a timescale for completion of the works.