Noel Grealish (Galway West, Independent)
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302. To ask the Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform the time frame for when flood alleviation measures will be carried out in Claregalway, Montaigh and Carnmore in County Galway; if he will provide a breakdown of how the €15 million allocated for these areas will be spent; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [11546/15]

Simon Harris (Wicklow, Fine Gael)
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As indicated in my replies to previous Questions on this subject, the Office of Public Works (OPW) has submitted the proposals for the Clare River (Claregalway) scheme for statutory approval by the Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform, as required by the Arterial Drainage Acts. The scheme includes flood alleviation measures in the areas referred to by the Deputy.

In order to comply with the requirements of SI 469 and SI 470 of 2012, the Department of Public Expenditure and Reform (DPER) engaged experts to carry out an independent review as part of its assessment of the Environmental Impact Statement (EIS) of the Scheme proposals. The report of the independent review was recently received by DPER and this raises a number of matters for clarification and some additional information requirements necessary to enable the adequacy of the EIS to be fully assessed. The OPW and its environmental consultants are currently considering the report and will be in a position to respond to DPER shortly.

Pending completion of DPER's assessment and approval of the Scheme by the Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform, it is not possible to say when construction works will commence.

I wish to re-affirm that the OPW remains committed to carrying out the scheme, subject to the Minister's sanction, and has provided for its cost in its multi-annual capital expenditure profiles to 2017.

The total estimated budget for the Claregalway Scheme inclusive of provision for professional fees, environmental mitigation measures and maintenance is in the region of €7.1 million and not the amount referred to by the Deputy, which includes the advance works already completed at Claregalway and Crusheeny Bridge at a cost of approximately €2.5 million. It is not possible to accurately break down the cost between the discrete areas covered by the scheme.