Shop and café owners on the city's low-lying quays say flood defence on Morrison's Island will bring more business into the area.
Works are expected to last around 20 months and will cost around 20 million euro which is triple the estimated cost of the plans which were first proposed 6 years ago.
400 homes and businesses on Morrision's Island, South Mall, South Terrace and Oliver Plunkett Street struggle to get flood insurance because of the high risk of flooding.
Speaking to RedFM News, Owner of 3 Little Piggies Café on Union Quay, Paul Walsh says flood defence on Morrison's Island will transform the area:
"You have serious disruption to business, and you have floods entering premises. they're losing stock. they've got to redo floors, and as we know, there's no insurance. so it's been a very costly exercise to businesses down the years. With the flood defences in place obviously, they don't have the worry of being flooded into the future. So it definitely is going to encourage business into the area".