36. Deputy Catherine Connolly asked the Minister for Public Expenditure, Infrastructure, Public Service Reform and Digitalisation further to Parliamentary Question No. 100 of 13 February 2025, for an update on the Coirib go Cósta project; the timeline for its delivery; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [39985/25]

The Catchment Flood Risk Assessment and Management (CFRAM) Programme was the largest study of flood risk in the country, studying the flood risk for some two thirds of the population. Following and based on the CFRAM study, Galway City Council appointed consultant engineers in November 2020 to design an option to protect the city from a significant flood event in the future. The work completed by the consultants has identified that the scale of flood risk in Galway City is much greater than that identified in the strategic CFRAM study.

A revised scope reflecting the additional works for the Scheme was presented by the Scheme’s consultants to Galway City Council, the Lead Authority for the Scheme. The Scheme was originally intended to protect 312 properties, whereas the revised Scheme will be designed to protect some 1,079 properties.

The revised scope includes quay walls that will extend from the Galway dock area, continuing along Long Walk and Spanish Arch. The properties in the Claddagh area, along Grattan road and Father Griffin road will be protected by the construction of a quay wall along the Claddagh basin and Nimmo's pier. Flood defences along the property line, localised land and road raising in Salthill will manage wave overtopping risks.

The Council submitted a request for additional funding to the Office of Public Works (OPW) for an increase in consultancy fees to facilitate the revised scope, and this was subsequently approved by the OPW in June 2024. The revised programme was published on the scheme website in January 2025, with the scheme currently progressing with options development. A scheme Options workshop for the steering group took place in April 2025 and a Public Consultation Day was held in Salthill on 17th June and Galway City on 18th June 2025 which gave the public an opportunity to view the potential flood defence design options and give feedback. The opportunity for the public to view and comment on the design options remains open until 18th July 2025.

Thereafter, taking into consideration the feedback from the public, the emerging preferred option will be significantly developed by the scheme consultants in conjunction with Galway City Council, and it is anticipated that this will be finalised by early 2026.

The emerging preferred option will then be brought to the public for review early in 2026. The Council has advised that due to the scale and complexity of this scheme, that the planning documentation preparation, Natura Impact Statement and Environmental Impact Assessment Report will require significant work and level of detail similar to that of preliminary detailed design. Therefore, it is estimated that submission for planning will occur in late 2028.

In June 2025 I met personally with Galway City Council personnel to discuss the progression of this project and look forward to viewing the emerging preferred option once available early next year.