As the Deputy will be aware, the full report on the River Tolka flooding study, which is being funded by the Office of Public Works at a cost of €870,000, is being carried out by consultants employed by Dublin City Council as part of the greater Dublin strategic drainage study. The final report was initially expected to be completed in May. However, as the consultants were heavily involved in producing interim reports for the three local authorities concerned, Dublin City Council, Fingal County Council and Meath County Council, and also preparing the design of the interim measures being undertaken, it was not possible to meet the deadline. A draft final report was completed and received by the Office of Public Works and the local authorities in counties Meath and Fingal and Dublin city last month. The report, as it considers the River Tolka catchment from Dunboyne in County Meath, through the Fingal area and all the way through the Dublin city area, is being given careful and detailed examination by Office of Public Works. This examination is now almost complete and Office of Public Works will be submitting its observations to Dublin City Council very shortly. Completion of the final report by the consultants will follow on as quickly as possible but it will be dependent on how significant any proposed changes are. All parties are aware that the report should be completed speedily so that decisions can be made on the whole Tolka catchment.
Following the completion of the interim report from the consultants in November 2002, discussions took place between Dublin City Council and the Office of Public Works on a package of works which could be undertaken and funded by the Office of Public Works on behalf of the coun cil. The works were undertaken under the Local Authorities (Works) Act 1949, and the council publicly exhibited the package of works in January to February of this year, in accordance with the requirements of Part 8 of the Planning and Development Regulations 2001. Not all of the recommendations contained in the interim report were included by Dublin City Council in the proposed package of works and no works downstream of the Tolka Park area, apart from general maintenance, were included in the schedule of works provided to the Office of Public Works.
Almost all the works contained in the Part 8 process exhibited by Dublin City Council have now been completed and the cost of these works to the Office of Public Works this year will be in the region of €1 million. When the final report is ready the Office of Public Works will enter into discussions with the local authorities as to how its recommendations can be implemented.