Carol Nolan (Offaly, Sinn Fein)
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416. To ask the Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform the status of the restoration of a bridge (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [34803/16]

Seán Canney (Galway East, Independent)
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When it was taken into care, Ardara Bridge was in very poor condition, mainly attributable to external factors such as the affects of the river course and tree growth.

Since 2007 considerable conservation work has been undertaken, primarily to save the bridge from collapse. The project has been separated into a number of sub-projects which ensures that the necessary resources are in place to complete each individual task.

The project has been technically very complex and hampered by the extremely fragile nature of the structure. Over a number of seasons, poor weather has affected progress resulting in high water levels in the river (making conditions for workers hazardous). By June 2015, works had progressed to a stage where specialist expertise was required, focussing on a more long-term geo-technical design solution which recognises the vulnerability of the structure into the future. The necessary specialist expertise was engaged and the investigation has been completed. Informed by this, a number of design proposals have been developed and the process of selecting the most preferred option is currently under way.