Jim Daly (Cork South West, Fine Gael)
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189. To ask the Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform his plans to formally confirm the Bandon flood relief scheme in County Cork. [5379/16]

Brendan Howlin (Wexford, Labour)
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I have considered the report of the consultants appointed to review the Environmental Impact Statement (EIS) for the River Bandon (Bandon) Flood Relief Scheme and have now confirmed the Scheme. The Office of Public Works (OPW) has advised that it will comply with the conditions attached to the confirmation subject to certain clarifications which have been accepted by my Department. 

The Order confirming the Scheme was signed on 4 April 2016 and notice of the confirmation has been published on my Department's website and will also be in the local media later this week. A statutory 8 week period of public notice of the confirmation decision must be observed, following which works may commence, subject to completion of the construction procurement process. 

The review of the EIS for flood schemes is part of a new process introduced under EU Regulations and the Bandon Scheme is just the third Scheme to be confirmed following such a review. The Clare River (Claregalway) Scheme and the River Ilen (Skibbereen) Scheme were the other schemes confirmed under this process.