Galway Bay fm newsroom - There is concern that flood defences in the city will never be installed because the cost would be higher than the cost of compensation for properties lost.
Parts of the city suffered severe flooding earlier this week as a result of Storm Eleanor and high tides.
OPW Minister Kevin Boxer Moran visited Galway in the aftermath of the storm this week and committed to prioritising a flood defence scheme for the city.
However the Irish Independent reports that this is despite an in-depth report by officials in his department which suggests that the cost-benefit ratio is less than one.
This means that the cost of installing flood defences would be more than the economic cost of replacing properties lost to flooding.
The works in the city are estimated to cost 9 and a half million euro, but the cost of repairing damage is estimated at just over 8 million euro.
The OPW will decide later this month what schemes will go ahead across the country.
The insurance industry has indicated that it will not provide cover unless flood defences are in place.
