Catherine Connolly (Galway West, Independent)
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69. To ask the Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform the status of the scheme to alleviate flooding from the Owenglin River in Clifden, County Galway; the details of the analysis carried out or commissioned by his Department into the environmental elements of this flood relief scheme; if he is satisfied that the recent tendering process adequately provided for these environmental issues; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [20509/21]

Patrick O'Donovan (Limerick County, Fine Gael)
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A potential flood relief scheme was recommended for Clifden as part of the National Flood Risk Management Plans, published in 2018, which identified 118 new projects nationwide to be progressed under the National Development Plan 2018 – 2027. The Office of Public Works engaged with Galway County Council (GCC) and confirmed that this office would fund the costs of developing and implementing a scheme to alleviate flooding from the Owenglin River in Clifden.

The Council has worked in collaboration with the OPW to develop a brief to procure engineering consultants to review the high level flood mitigation options proposed under the FRMP for Clifden, and to progress a viable Flood Relief Scheme to detailed design stage. The design process will include a more detailed assessment of the flood risk within the Owenglin River Catchment, with a view to identifying flood defence measures for Clifden which are viable, cost effective and environmentally sustainable. The design process will consider Natural Water Retention Measures (NWRM), including upstream water storage, as part of the detailed assessment of flood relief measures for the scheme. Further consultation, with relevant Stakeholders and the general public, will be undertaken for input into the flood mitigation options under consideration for Clifden.

On 1st March of this year, GCC, as the Contracting Authority, went to tender for consultants, to further develop the scheme for Clifden. I have been advised by my officials that the tender documentation and briefing material provided by GCC to the prospective tenderers for this tender competition included the full requirements for environmental assessments associated with a flood relief scheme of this nature.

I am advised that the tender competition has now closed and the Council is currently in the process of assessing the tenders, with a view to appointing consultants to progress the development of a flood relief scheme for Clifden in the near future.