Jim Daly (Cork South West, Fine Gael)
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204. To ask the Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform if he will provide an updated report in relation to Bandon, Clonakilty and Skibbereen flood relief schemes in County Cork; if he will confirm the expected commencement date for construction for each scheme; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [44165/14]

Simon Harris (Wicklow, Fine Gael)
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The current position with regard to the Bandon and Skibbereen Flood Relief Schemes is that they are both at the stage of procurement of civil works contractors. In both cases, contractors will be appointed after a two stage process, with both processes currently at the pre-qualification stage to produce a shortlist of contractors to be invited to tender. The second stage of the process for both schemes is currently expected to commence shortly and it is hoped to be in a position to appoint contractors early in 2015.

In relation to the Clonakilty Scheme it is hoped that the Public Exhibition of the proposals for the Scheme will commence before the end of the year.

All three Schemes are being advanced under the Arterial Drainage Acts, with the Office of Public Works (OPW) as the Contracting Authority for the Bandon Scheme and the Clonakilty Scheme, and Cork County Council being the Contracting Authority for the Skibbereen Scheme.

It is expected that works will commence on both the Bandon and Skibbereen Schemes early in 2015, subject to satisfactory completion of the procurement process and to formal Confirmation i.e. statutory approval of the scheme, by the Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform, as required under the Arterial Drainage Acts. In the case of the Clonakilty Scheme, commencement of works, which is currently expected to be in late 2015 would also depend on satisfactory completion of the Exhibition process. It is expected that both the Bandon and Skibbereen Schemes will take approximately 18 - 24 months to construct, while the Clonakilty Scheme is expected to be completed within 18-24 months of commencement. The OPW has provided for the cost of the three schemes in its multi-annual budget profiles for the period 2014-2017.