Michael McGrath (Cork South Central, Fianna Fail)
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76. To ask the Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform the position regarding the planned flood relief scheme in Cork city; an estimate of the timeline for its delivery; the level of funding that has been committed; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [35614/15]

Simon Harris (Wicklow, Fine Gael)
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The Office of Public Works (OPW) appointed consultants in April 2013 to further develop the proposals identified in the pilot Catchment Flood Risk Assessment and Management study for the Lower Lee in Cork City. Much work has been undertaken on the project since then on the outline design of the Scheme and with the development of the flood forecasting system which will facilitate decision-making on the discharge rate from the dams at Inniscarra and Carrigadrohid.

The main Lower Lee Scheme for the City is likely to be the largest flood relief scheme ever undertaken in the country and covers the area from Inniscarra Dam to downstream of the City. When the outline design has been completed and an Environmental Impact Statement has been prepared the OPW will formally exhibit the proposals over a four week period in the City which is expected to take place in the Spring of 2016. The detailed design will be commenced after the Exhibition. Once the detailed design is complete, the Scheme will be submitted to the Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform for Confirmation or approval as required by the Arterial Drainage Acts.

Subject to the Scheme being Confirmed the OPW will aim to appoint a civil works contractor and commence construction within a short period thereafter. Due to the likely scale of the proposed Scheme, it is possible that the Scheme will be undertaken on a phased basis under a number of contracts. The design consultants have commenced work on a Phasing Report which will assist a structured implementation of the Scheme. This will be a very significant scheme with commensurate costs and it is anticipated that the works will take at least 4-5 years to complete.

It was indicated by the OPW in the early stages of this project that should there be delays to the main City Scheme then every effort would be made to progress the Blackpool element of the project. Progress has been made in relation to the identification of a preferred scheme for Blackpool and this has now been separated from the main Scheme and has become a Scheme in its own right. It is intended to bring the preferred Scheme in Blackpool forward to public Exhibition before the end of November this year. Detailed design will then be undertaken as early as possible with a procurement process expected to be undertaken in the first half of 2016 which would coincide with the Confirmation process. The Confirmation process itself will require the Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform to have the Environmental Impact Statement independently assessed before it can be Confirmed. It is hoped to commence construction works in the second half of 2016.

The Government remains fully committed to the provision of a flood relief scheme for the people of Cork City and the OPW has made provision for the cost of implementing the scheme in its Multi Annual Budget Profiles.