Dáil Éireann Debate, Thursday - 30 April 2026
269. Deputy Noel McCarthy asked the Minister for Public Expenditure, Infrastructure, Public Service Reform and Digitalisation further to Parliamentary Question No. 219 of 27 May 2025, the amount expended to date on the Midleton Flood Relief Project; the currently projected overall cost of the scheme; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [31591/26]
View answer270. Deputy Noel McCarthy asked the Minister for Public Expenditure, Infrastructure, Public Service Reform and Digitalisation the number of engineers currently working on the Middleton flood relief scheme project; the amount allocated to date by his Department to ensure the appointment of additional engineers to the scheme; if all proposed engineering positions proposed under this funding are currently filled; his plans, if any, to provide further funding for the recruitment of additional engineering personnel to the scheme; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [31592/26]
View answerI propose to take Questions Nos. 269 and 270 together.
Cork County Council with funding from the Office of Public Works (OPW), for nine staff for flood projects across the county, is leading the delivery of the Midleton Flood Relief Scheme. Of these, four staff work exclusively on the Midleton Flood Relief Scheme, which includes three engineering staff and one clerk of works. Cork County Council has confirmed that all engineering positions for the Midleton Flood Relief Scheme are currently filled. They work on the main flood relief scheme, advance works at Tír Cluain and also the delivery of the Individual Property Protection Scheme for Midleton and East Cork.
In addition, ARUP, engineering consultants are contracted by Cork County Council to design a viable flood relief scheme for Midleton. Approximately half of a full time engineering staff member in the OPW has been overseeing the technical development of the design of the flood relief scheme by ARUP.
Funding for this scheme is part of the Government’s commitment for the delivery of flood relief measures over the lifetime of the National Development Plan.
The current total project budget for the scheme is estimated to be some €55.8m which includes €5.8m approved in 2024 for the Midleton and East Cork Individual Property Protection Scheme and estimated expenditure for the OPW funded staff on the scheme.
A revised estimate of the overall cost of the scheme is currently being developed in advance of submission of the scheme to planning which is scheduled for Q3 2026.The total expenditure to date is some €8.8m.
