Michael Moynihan (Cork North West, Fianna Fail)
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173. To ask the Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform if all the funding required has been provided to carry out remedial flood prevention works in Mallow, Bandon, Clonakilty and Skibbereen in County Cork, and the progress on the works; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [44840/15]

Simon Harris (Wicklow, Fine Gael)
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The Office of Public Works is fully committed to progressing all the flood defence projects for County Cork as quickly as possible.

The Mallow North and Mallow South and West flood defence schemes are completed and are operational. Some additional works are being undertaken on the Mallow South and West Scheme.

The second stage of a tender competition for a civil works contractor for the Bandon Flood Relief Scheme is underway. Tender documentation has been issued to the shortlisted candidates and tenders are due back in early January.

The Skibbereen Flood Relief Scheme has already been submitted to the Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform for Confirmation and is also subject to an independent review of the EIS. Cork County Council is the Contracting Authority for the Skibbereen Scheme and the Council is progressing the process to procure a civil works contractor. Approval for the contractor appointment by the OPW as the sponsoring and funding agency must await the formal Confirmation of the Scheme by the Minister. It is hoped that this process will be completed in January 2016, which will allow construction of the Scheme to be commenced in mid-2016.

In relation to the Clonakilty Flood Relief Scheme, a preferred scheme design option was presented at a statutory Public Exhibition which took place from 15th December 2014 to 20th January 2015. All the observations received from concerned parties have been answered. Detailed design of the scheme is underway which will be followed by a procurement process for a civil works contractor and the formal Confirmation of the Scheme under the Arterial Drainage Acts. Subject to successful completion of the tender and Confirmation processes, it is hoped that construction will start in late 2016 or early 2017.

Once the contractors are appointed to undertake the construction of these schemes and the works are underway, it is expected that they will take up to two and a half years to complete.

The OPW has made provision for the cost of implementing these Schemes in its financial profiles over the years 2016-2019.