Michael Ring (Mayo, Fine Gael)
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319. To ask the Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform the position regarding a scheme (details supplied); when the works will commence on site; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [55281/22]

Patrick O'Donovan (Limerick County, Fine Gael)
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In October 2020, the Office of Public Works (OPW) submitted the confirmation documentation for this scheme to the Department of Public Expenditure and Reform for review. As part of this process, there are a number of statutory steps including public consultation and a request for further information, if needed. Supplementary Information was subsequently sought by the Department and this was provided by OPW in July 2021.

The Department of Public Expenditure and Reform advised that a further Public Consultation, that included the supplementary information, would be appropriate. This Public Consultation process commenced on 6 May 2022 and ran until 1 July 2022.

The Department of Public Expenditure and Reform has engaged consultants to examine the submissions received under the public consultation process and this work is ongoing. Upon completion of this work, the Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform will take into account all relevant information as prescribed in the Act and make a decision on whether to confirm the scheme in accordance with Section 7E. (1).

The Minister can decide to either: confirm the scheme, refuse to confirm the scheme, or refer the scheme back to OPW for revision in specified respects.

It is not possible to determine a commencement date for works to go on site until this confirmation process is concluded.

The OPW remain committed to this scheme and have allocated funding and a works crew to progress the scheme subject to Ministerial confirmation. The construction duration for this scheme is estimated to take some four years.