Catherine Connolly (Galway West, Independent)
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43. To ask the Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform further to Question No. 90 of 2 May 2024, for an update on the Coirib go Cósta project; if the project programme has now been finalised; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [29342/24]

Catherine Connolly (Galway West, Independent)
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58. To ask the Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform further to Question No. 90 of 2 May 2024, to outline the timeline for delivery of the Coirib go Cósta project; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [29343/24]

Catherine Connolly (Galway West, Independent)
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We are staying with the issue of flood defences but this time in Galway city. I am following up on a series of questions I posed previously. I ask for an update on the Coirib go Cósta project. In particular, I ask for dates because the original plan has changed and the project has moved out into the future. If the Minister of State could be specific, I would appreciate it.

Kieran O'Donnell (Limerick City, Fine Gael)
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What question are we dealing with?

Claire Kerrane (Roscommon-Galway, Sinn Fein)
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Question No. 43.

Kieran O'Donnell (Limerick City, Fine Gael)
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This is a matter that Deputy Connolly has brought up on many occasions. I have a response here which really just deals with the scheme itself, with which the Deputy is very familiar. The Deputy has asked for specifics in terms of timelines-----

Catherine Connolly (Galway West, Independent)
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My question is grouped with Question No. 58.

Kieran O'Donnell (Limerick City, Fine Gael)
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Yes, there are two questions but in terms of the answer I have here, the standard answer is basically dealing with the scheme but what the Deputy wants is to deal specifically with the timing on it.

Catherine Connolly (Galway West, Independent)
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Yes, I want the dates.

Kieran O'Donnell (Limerick City, Fine Gael)
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Obviously, I will deal with that. It is something that I will address for the Deputy. There have been three programmes for this scheme, namely, a baseline programme, an updated programme and now, a revised programme. Upon the appointment of consulting engineers in November 2020, an updated programme identified the need for coastal assessment, including on the extent of wave overtopping and so the agreed baseline programme was extended until the study assessments were completed. In terms of the revised programme, a research programme by Arup takes accounts of works on the hydrology-----

Claire Kerrane (Roscommon-Galway, Sinn Fein)
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I am sorry to interrupt but I think that may be the incorrect question. Are you reading the reply for Nos. 43 and 58?

Kieran O'Donnell (Limerick City, Fine Gael)
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Yes. I am reading the reply. I was called for No. 43 and am reading the reply. Sorry, I am not actually reading the reply because Deputy Connolly has brought this up on many occasions and I have dealt with it on many occasions. I want to deal with the particular matter she has raised. If I read the transcript as provided, it will not address the Deputy's concerns.

The recently submitted programme by Arup takes into account its work on hydrology and hydraulics from the coastal assessment and the scale of the flooding and, hence, is much larger than CFRAM has envisaged.

As regards the increased work involved, Galway City Council engaged with its constituents to reprogramme the scheme. This has been agreed in principle by the steering group, and the revised dates are as follows. For submission of planning, the baseline was September 2023, the updated programme was July 2025, and now the revised programme is July 2027, subject to the update on the revised programme being agreed by the steering group. It is back with the steering group at the moment. For the construction, the baseline was October 2025, the updated programme was June 2026 and the revised programme is now November 2028, subject to the update on the revised programme being agreed by the steering group. For substantial completion, the baseline programme was December 2027, the updated programme was December 2029 and the revised programme is March 2031, subject to the update on the revised programme being agreed by the steering group. I refer to the locations of sensitive areas adjacent to and in need of defences and agreement throughout the project development.

As regards the new programme, the consultants are in the process of updating the scheme's programme, which is planned to be considered and approved by the project steering group at its next meeting, scheduled for tomorrow, 10 July. I am aware that Deputy Connolly met with Galway City Council. Was it on 10 May?

Catherine Connolly (Galway West, Independent)
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Yes.

Kieran O'Donnell (Limerick City, Fine Gael)
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She probably has a good update then. When approved, the steering group will publish the updated steering programme to the project website shortly thereafter. It may be worth noting that The Connacht Tribune in early March 2024 published an article stating that the planning for this scheme was now delayed to 2027. Given that the preferred option for the scheme is not yet confirmed, the programme of the timeline associated with planning approved and construction is difficult to define at this juncture. This will be subject to ongoing review throughout the development of the scheme, the planning consent process, details on construction and the tendering stage. The Deputy met with Galway City Council on Friday, 10 May. In the OPW, we understand the complexity and the main challenges associated with the scheme.

Catherine Connolly (Galway West, Independent)
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I thank the Minister of State for taking a hands-on approach. I did meet with the engineers in relation to outlining this. My difficulty, however, as the Minister of State knows, is the huge delay. Repeatedly in the replies it states that originally it was meant for 312 properties and then it became 940, but it actually became 940 in a reply I got in September 2021. Therefore, nearly three years ago they were aware that it was 941. This has huge implications for Galway. We want the people to be with us. I live in the Claddagh area, where a wall is going to go up. I am very familiar with the whole area. We need public engagement. There has only been one because it keeps being revised. After the steering group tomorrow, will we have the details set out on a website as to what is proposed at this point? The money has gone up to €50 million. I do not think it will be done for €50 million but I am no expert. What is the situation in that regard? I refer to the money, the engagement with the public and the programme of work set out.

Kieran O'Donnell (Limerick City, Fine Gael)
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The consultants are in the process of updating the scheme's programme, which is planned to be considered and approved, as I said, by the project steering group at its next meeting, tomorrow, 10 July. When approved, the steering group will publish the updated scheme programme to the project's website thereafter. I understand that this has been a long process; however, due to the increased scoping, such a process was necessary. The Deputy is very familiar with the process so I do not need to go back over it and the reasons.

The Deputy is correct about the budget. The original estimate was a budget of €9.5 million. Given that the scale of the project and the required defences are far greater and protect over three times as many properties, the best estimate for this scheme at the time is most likely in the region of €50 million, the most recent estimate provided by Galway City Council. The Government is committed to design and completion of the flood relief scheme for Galway city and has committed to funding the scheme once a viable scheme is identified through the national development plan, which has allocated €1.3 million.

May I make an observation? I understand that this is currently at stage 1, development and preliminary design. We have reached a point where a very important meeting will take place tomorrow, so this is moving forward. It not at the speed one would like; however, various iterations arose for genuine reasons. Ultimately, whatever scheme is built must be fit for purpose, which I believe it will be. The Deputy has asked three questions. I have already told her the date of the next meeting to approve the scheme's programme. When will it be published? The updated scheme programme will be published to the project's website thereafter. I hope that will happen as quickly as possible. Finally, the Deputy made reference to the budget, but the main thing is that the project is very much now moving forward.

Catherine Connolly (Galway West, Independent)
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I thank the Minister of State for his letter to me and all that. I have to put on the record, however, that CFRAM goes back over a decade. I was there as a city councillor when that wonderful work was carried out. It was crystal clear to us, however, and we had no expertise, that they were working on the basis of events happening once every hundred years. We have been flooded nearly every year now for a very long time, so the whole concept was wrong to start with. Then we go forward and I think there was, if not an argument over fees, quite a delay over them. I can understand that because the consultants were employed to do one type of work and then suddenly there was a much bigger scope, but the council has been fully aware of that since 2021. It is now 2024. The steering group is meeting tomorrow. Will there be publication in the next week or two of the programme of works with dates and an emphasis on public consultation? Has the situation with regard to fees been sorted out?

Kieran O'Donnell (Limerick City, Fine Gael)
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I will take the matters in reverse order. The council recently submitted a request for additional funding to the OPW for an increase in consultancy fees to facilitate the revised scope, and these have been approved by the OPW. As I said, the consultants are in the process of updating the scheme's programme, which will be considered by the project steering group tomorrow, 10 July. I do not have a precise date for the Deputy but I expect it will be published as soon as possible. It is something I can come back to her on. If she would like to write to me, I can come back to her formally to try to get a date as fast as possible.

In summary, the one thing I have learned since coming into the Department is that while there is this continual frustration with the speed of the roll-out of flood relief programmes, you must stick with the process. If you do not, many schemes can come unstuck. That is something that in my role as Minister I am very conscious of. If you work with the process, it may take a small bit more time but it ensures that the scheme has the best possibility of moving as quickly as possible and being the most appropriate for the circumstances.

Catherine Connolly (Galway West, Independent)
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It is equally important to work with the people.

Kieran O'Donnell (Limerick City, Fine Gael)
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That goes without saying. In my role as Minister of State, I have always valued this. Flooding has been with me all my political life, and the people on the ground have a major input to make in terms of both public participation and, in many cases, knowledge.