Michael McGrath (Cork South Central, Fianna Fail)
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272. To ask the Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform the current position regarding the planned flood relief scheme in Cork city; the estimated timeline in the delivery of the project; the level of funding that has been committed to the project; the amount of money which has been spent to date and a breakdown of this; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [40651/16]

Seán Canney (Galway East, Independent)
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The Office of Public Works (OPW) appointed consultants in 2013 to develop proposals for a flood relief scheme for the Lower Lee as it affected Cork City and for the River Bride as it affected the Blackpool area of the City.

Since that time the Blackpool element has been separated into its own Scheme and has been advanced earlier as it is a less complex and smaller Scheme. The Blackpool Scheme was formally exhibited under the Arterial Drainage Acts in November and December 2015 and has since undergone detailed design. The Scheme will be submitted shortly for Confirmation, as required under the Arterial Drainage Acts, to the Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform while a tender process for a civil works contractor will take place at the same time. It is hoped that construction will commence in mid 2017.

The main Lower Lee flood relief scheme for Cork City and the Ballincollig area has now been advanced to outline design and the proposals have this week been placed on formal Public Exhibition. The Exhibition will last for six weeks after which all submissions will be considered before the full detailed design is completed. It is hoped to complete the detailed design and submit the Scheme to the Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform in the second half of 2017 with a tender process for a civil works contractor taking place for the first phase of the Scheme at the same time. This would allow a contractor to be appointed early in 2018. The Scheme is being advanced on a phased basis due to its size and the need to minimise disruption to the City and will be implemented over the following 5-6 years.

The OPW and Cork City Council have sought ways to advance early implementation of the Scheme and the first flood defence elements will be incorporated into a public realm project which is being advanced by the City Council. This element involves the Morrison's Island area and will go a long way to dealing with the regular tidal flooding which affects the City. The public realm project incorporating the flood defence elements is expected to be advanced through planning by the City Council shortly with the expectation that works will be commenced in the second half of 2017.

Since the commencement of the design process in 2013, a total of €2.55m has been spent so far on both these Schemes. The following table provides a breakdown of the costs incurred:

Both these Schemes, when completed, will provide the standard 100 year fluvial and, where applicable, 200 tidal level of protection to approximately 2,400 properties around the City. The overall total project cost of the Lower Lee scheme is approximately €140m in current prices while the project cost of the Blackpool Scheme is €16m. The OPW has included for the cost of both these schemes in its multi annual budgets.