Holly Cairns (Cork South West, Social Democrats)
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195. To ask the Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform when the flood relief scheme in Skibbereen, County Cork will be officially completed. [60375/22]

Patrick O'Donovan (Limerick County, Fine Gael)
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The Skibbereen Flood Relief Scheme was substantially completed on 6th June 2019.  All known defects arising from the construction have been remedied, with some delays as a result of COVID-19.

Planning for the operation and maintenance of the scheme is ongoing in conjunction with Cork County Council, who will act as agents of the OPW in carrying out the statutory operation and maintenance of the scheme.  A small number of works to address elements identified during construction and since completion of the scheme works, which were outside the main construction contract, remain to be completed and are being progressed in separate works packages.

A length of flood defence wall upstream of the footbridge in the Town centre remains to be constructed which will facilitate flood defence at a high level (for relatively rare floods) for the adjacent apartments and the town centre, as well as for a proposed future public walkway, being proposed by Cork County Council.  Cork County Council is continuing to engage with the owners of a property located on Levis Quay to gain the relevant consents to construct a River Walkway when completing a section of sheet piled flood protection wall on the left bank of the River Ilen. It is expected that the cost for this remaining work will be shared between Cork County Council and the OPW.

In addition, some drainage works on N71 Cork Road, which fall outside the remit of the main scheme, have subsequently been identified as being necessary.  The Council has tendered for these works, with submissions due on 7th December. These works are being progressed in conjunction with Transport Infrastructure Ireland (TII) and some funding is being provided by the OPW under the Minor Works & Flood Mitigation Scheme.

As part of the main Flood Relief Scheme, follow-on works are being progressed at two culverts on the Mill Road and Carrig Road. In addition discrete sections of rock revetments are to be installed. It is intended to invite tenders for these works in 2023.