Claire Kerrane (Roscommon-Galway, Sinn Fein)
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472. To ask the Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform to provide an update on when works on a scheme (details supplied) will progress, ten years after approval of said scheme; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [11547/25]

Kevin Moran (Longford-Westmeath, Independent)
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The Flood Risk Management Plan for the Shannon River Basin which launched in 2018, included a recommendation to progress a flood relief scheme for Ballinasloe, Co. Galway. A Project Steering Group, comprising representatives from the Office of Public Works (OPW), as Contracting Authority, and Galway County Council as project partners, is in place to progress the Scheme under the Arterial Drainage Acts 1945 and 1995 (as amended). In 2019, the OPW appointed Engineering and Environmental Consultants to complete the design of the Scheme, which will provide protection to 309 residential and commercial properties when complete.

The Scheme is currently at Stage I, which covers the scheme development and design. This stage experienced delays due to additional modelling requirements, delays in completing key surveys and engaging with other key stakeholders which became apparent at a collaborative workshop. An Options Report for the Scheme has been delivered by the consultant in Q1 2025 and is currently under review by the Steering Group.

As part of the consultation process for the Scheme, and in order to raise awareness of the proposed flood mitigation works, a Public Consultation Day was held on the 5th of March 2020. A further Public Consultation to discuss the emerging options for the Scheme took place in Q1 2024. It is anticipated that the Statutory Public Exhibition for the Scheme will take place in Q3 2025.

The OPW provides funding to Galway County Council for a Project Engineer to enable the Council to support the development of the Flood Relief Scheme in Ballinasloe, and to progress flood relief schemes across County Galway. The funding for these schemes is provided from the Government’s €1.3bn investment in flood relief measures under the National Development Plan to 2030.