Galway West TD Noel Grealish has said he is happy with the obstinate stance he took in advance of last week's Budget, saying it has put the wheels in motion on some essential projects in his constituency. Speaking to the Galway Independent yesterday (Tuesday), Deputy Grealish said he had gotten guarantees on projects in Galway West.

The former Progressive Democrat held two meetings with An Taoiseach Brian Cowen last week, one on Tuesday night before the budget, which lasted over an hour but remained unresolved, and a second immediately after Finance Minister Brian Lenihan's Budget speech. Government Whip Pat Carey attended this second meeting, and it was at this meeting Deputy Grealish got the guarantees he was seeking.

"Firstly, I was asking for a resolution about issues arising from the recent floods and from other floods over the last number of years. Flood relief policies and remedial work for the area was brought up and the Taoiseach agreed to work with me on this.

"We came to agreement then on the issue of the Claregalway relief road. It was agreed that the road would go to design stage and that Compulsory Purchase Orders would be in place by the end of 2010, with an aim to start construction of the road in 2011.

"I also pushed on the scheme to indemnify victims of flooding that may not be able to insure their properties. This is now gone to the Department of Finance, hopefully now this will be a part of the Finance Bill, which follows the Budget early next year," he said.

Deputy Grealish said he would be working with the Government on these schemes over the next two and a half years.

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