Phil Hogan
Question:115 Mr. Hogan asked the Minister for Finance when the plans for the relief of flooding in Kilkenny City will be made available to the public; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [20850/98]
Written Answers. - Food Relief.
John McGuinness
Question:118 Mr. McGuinness asked the Minister for Finance the progress, if any, on the flood relief scheme for the Nore, County Kilkenny; when this plan will be put on public display and the length of time this process will last; if negotiations have been entered into with land owners whose land will be affected; if priority can be given to the provision of a wall at John's Quay, Kilkenny, in the overall scheme; and if the finance for this scheme is available or if a new application will have to be made when the plans are complete. [20627/98]
I propose to take Questions Nos. 115 and 118 together.
The design of a drainage scheme to deal with the flooding problems for Kilkenny city, which has been developed and which has been agreed by Kilkenny County Council and Kilkenny Corporation, is being progressed to detailed design stage. It is envisaged that plans for a drainage scheme for Kilkenny city will reach public exhibition stage during 1999. Pending the outcome of the public exhibition process, which will take approximately one month by which the various affected landowners and the general public will be notified of the scheme details and which will facilitate them in submitting observations on the scheme proposals, it is not possible to be definitive about when a scheme for Kilkenny city might reach works stage.
As my Office's remit is to consider the flooding problems in Kilkenny city as a whole it is not practicable at the preparation stage of the scheme to segregate individual areas for priority treatment. However, depending on final design details, areas such as John's Quay could be identified for priority consideration at the works stage if it does not adversely affect other areas of the city. Works on a scheme for Kilkenny city will be included in the drainage construction programme at the earliest possible opportunity as resources permit.