Vol. 487 No. 3
179 Mr. U. Burke asked the Minister for Finance when the consultants' report into drainage in south Galway will be launched; if the report is complete and ready for public display; the delay, if any, that is envisaged before work can begin; if costings are available; if so, the amount; if the Government will fund this scheme following the publication of the report; the cost of the report; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [4113/98]
The preliminary evaluation of the investigation into the causes of flooding in south Galway in 1995 by officials at the Office of Public Works together with the professional representatives of the Geological Survey of Ireland and Dúchas — the Wildlife Service of the Department of Arts, Heritage, Gaeltacht and the Islands — is now complete. My office has returned its observations to the consultants involved and they will be asked to finalise the overall report and also to provide an executive summary of same.
It is envisaged that by completion, the fee for the report will be £457,000 and £339,000 for the investigative and monitoring works. It is hoped to have the final report in March-April of this year with the contents outlined at a public meeting in Gort, as soon as practicable thereafter. The questions in relation to time scales for any prospective works, costings and funding arrangements will not arise until detailed designs and cost benefit analyses have been completed on the specific proposals recommended in the report.
