Galway County Council (GCC) is the Contracting Authority with overall responsibility for the management and implementation of the Dunkellin River and Aggard Stream Flood Relief Scheme, which is being funded by the Office of Public Works.
GCC appointed the Engineering and Environmental Consultants needed to complete the design and to attain the necessary statutory permissions for the scheme which is being progressed through An Bord Pleanála (ABP) under the Strategic Infrastructure Act. I should point out that any queries the Deputy may have in relation to the Environmental Impact Statement and its implementation should be addressed to the Council.
I am however, advised that GCC and their consultants finalised the Environmental Impact Statement (EIS) and Natura Impact Statement (NIS) for the Scheme in October 2014. The scheme was submitted to An Bord Pleanála for consideration in November 2014 for planning approval in line with Section 175 of the Planning and Development Act 2000, as amended. A number of submissions from interested parties were received by An Bord Pleanála in relation to the proposals and the Board issued a request for further information (RFI) to GCC on 2nd March 2015.
The Council requested an extension of time in which to respond to the Board's request and the period for response was extended to 10th July 2015. In light of the significant additional data submitted by the Council, An Bord Pleanála requested that both the Statutory Authorities who were advised of the Planning Application and the general public be made aware of the additional information and that further submissions or observations could be made to the Board within a specific time frame. An Oral Hearing on the proposed scheme commenced on Tuesday 27th October 2015. The hearing concluded on Tuesday the 3rd of November 2015 and An Bord Pleanála has indicated that it would be making a decision on the application as expeditiously as possible.
We must wait for An Bord Pleanála to issue its determination on the proposals but, subject to this, I can assure the Deputy that the Government remains fully committed to the provision of a flood relief scheme for the Dunkellin River and Aggard Stream and the OPW has made provision for the cost of implementing the scheme in its Multi-Annual Budget Profiles into the future.
