Michael McCarthy (Cork South West, Labour)
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335. To ask the Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform further to Parliamentary Question No. 166 of 7 July 2015, his views on correspondence (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [29027/15]

Simon Harris (Wicklow, Fine Gael)
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As indicated to the Deputy in my reply to Parliamentary Question No 166 of 7^thJuly, the Skibbereen Flood Relief Scheme is expected to be submitted to the Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform shortly for Confirmation i.e. statutory approval under the Arterial Drainage Acts, once the necessary documentation has been finalised by Cork County Council's consultants. The Confirmation process includes an independent review of the Environmental Impact Statement for the Scheme.

On the 29^thJune, the Council, as the Contracting Authority for the Scheme, forwarded a tender report to the Office of Public Works (OPW) requesting approval to award the contract. The Scheme will have to be Confirmed by the Minister before the contract can be awarded. For the OPW to submit the scheme all the required Confirmation documentation must be provided by the Council's consultants. The documentation is still awaited and the OPW understands that the Council is working with its consultants to ensure that this is finalised to the required standard and submitted to the OPW without further delay. Until the Scheme is formally Confirmed, the OPW cannot approve the request from Cork County Council for the appointment of the civil works contractor. Contrary to what the Council has indicated, once the Scheme has been submitted to the Minister for Confirmation then the process is outside of the control of the OPW and the matter rests with the Minister.

The OPW remains fully committed to the Scheme and has included for its costs in its financial profiles between 2015 and 2018.