Joan Burton (Dublin West, Labour)
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629. To ask the Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform the reason for the delay in the OPW formally approving the lower Morell River flood relief scheme and the funding of same in County Kildare; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [13116/17]

Seán Canney (Galway East, Independent)
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Kildare County Council (KCC) is the Contracting Authority for the Lower Morell River Flood Relief Scheme and the Council is managing and overseeing the necessary work to progress the scheme.

Formal approval of the scheme and its funding by the Office of Public Works (OPW) will happen when KCC and its consultants complete the detailed design and the Environmental Impact Statement (EIS) and are ready to submit the scheme for planning approval. This should happen over the next few weeks. KCC is working on finalising the detailed design and the EIS which includes liaising with the various landowners / stakeholders who will be impacted by the proposed works.

It is hoped that the proposed scheme will receive planning approval in time to allow work to commence before end 2017.

I can confirm that the Lower Morell Scheme remains a priority and the OPW has included provision for the cost of the proposed works in its financial profiles in the period up to 2020.