Vol. 525 No. 5
309 Mr. Stanton asked the Minister for the Environment and Local Government if he will make funding available to enable the road access to Fort Villas in Cobh, County Cork, which has been lost due to two landslides, to be restored especially in view of the inability of the emergency services to access the residences; the amount of funding made available to Fort Villas to date; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [25858/00]
The Cobh landslide programme involves the provision of financial assistance by my Department to Cobh UDC to undertake remedial works to strengthen areas susceptible to landslips. The criterion for assistance is that works undertaken must be necessary in order to avert danger to the public and, to date, approximately £1.8 million has been expended under the programme on remedial and preventative works at different locations.
On a number of occasions, Cobh UDC has sought funding under the programme for the reinstatement of a private vehicular access to Fort Villas. While some remedial work is required in the area to avert danger to the public, the reinstatement of the vehicular access does not meet the criterion for financial assistance under the programme. Contract documents from the UDC for works involving the stabilisation of an existing masonry wall at Fort Villas are currently awaited in my Department.
