Seanad Éireann debate -
Wednesday, 19 Sep 2012

Vol. 217 No. 1

Adjournment Matters

Schools Building Projects Status

Senator Fidelma Healy Eames

I welcome the Minister of State, Deputy Shane McEntee, to the House.

The matter I wish to raise concerns the need for the Minister for Education and Skills to review the band rating for the proposed new accommodation for Scoil Mhuire primary school, Clarinbridge, County Galway, consistent with prior agreement given in 2007.

Five of the local primary schools were classified at the time as being at the same stage. These other primary schools have all advanced, but this school has not, which has caused much grief for the principal, board of management, parents and children.

To provide the background for the Minister of State, Scoil Mhuire is a ten-classroom school catering for 272 children in the Clarinbridge area. It has six portakabins on site, some of which are 11 years old. During the summer the porch fell off two of them, while the floor fell out of one of them. They are deteriorating by the day, as is apparent from the description of recent damage. In addition, there are five internal classrooms which date back to 1959. They are mostly small without en suite toilet facilities. They are becoming unsuitable for the delivery of the revised curriculum, given the need for space for active teaching methods, as is acknowledged in the whole school evaluation that took place last January. The main recommendation made in the report by the inspectors which I have to hand concerned the need for permission for a new school to be granted. No recommendation was made on curricula, methodology and parental involvement, other than on the need for a new school.

The school first lodged an application for new accommodation in 2001. Following various surveys and communication with the Department, a new school building was approved five years ago in April 2007, prior to the election. A meeting was called at the time which was also attended by representatives of the other five local primary schools. However, the project for Clarinbridge national school did not proceed to architectural planning, unlike the projects for the five neighbouring schools in similar circumstances. The school has been informed since that it remains on the band rating of 2.1. It is a source of grievance to the school that the other schools that were at the same stage at the time - I have the names and can give them to the Minister of State - have all moved to the band rating of 1.1.

Those involved in Scoil Mhuire are magnanimous and reasonable. They do not expect to be included in the current capital programme, although obviously everyone would like to be, as they understand the financial constraints within which we operate. However, come 2016, when the current approved capital programme runs out, they want to be included in the next programme. To be sure of this the school needs to have a band rating of 1.1. They feel aggrieved and the core issue is fairness. They have put the question many times in the past five years as to why the other schools, some of which have less need, that were on the same band level in 2007 have moved to the band rating of 1.1 and Scoil Mhuire has not.

I do not yet know what the response of the Minister of State will be, but I put the question formally a year ago to Seán Ó Foghlú before he became the new Secretary General in the Department. The school has put the question many times and been dissatisfied on each occasion with the response. I urge the Minister of State to advise me on how I should proceed if the school is not satisfied with today's response. Perhaps we might arrange a special meeting to ensure the matter is resolved.

The whole school evaluation report, dated January 2012, recommended that the board pursue with all vigour the further upgrading of accommodation facilities. In particular, it recommended that the board review as a matter of urgency the accommodation arrangements for pupils with special educational needs. Every time the principal, Mr. Holian, goes to the Department to speak about the deteriorating state of the prefabs the Department indicates it will replace through the emergency grants scheme any purchased portakabin that falls apart and that it will continue to fund the rented portakabins, in addition to new ones to meet special needs. The principal wants to know whether anyone in the Department recognises the incredible waste such a policy yields in a poor, temporary and unhealthy standard of classroom for pupils and staff on a daily basis. He believes it is time to stop and rethink the approach. In fairness to the Minister for Education and Skills, he has started a policy of replacing single prefabs with a permanent building. However, a school such as Scoil Mhuire that has five to six prefabs seems to be left in the lurch. The core issue is the band rating and how we can advance it in order that the school will be ready in 2016 and 2017. I look forward to the response of the Minister of State.

Minister of State at the Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine (Deputy Shane McEntee)

I thank the Senator. However, I do not know whether the reply will suit her. My advice to her is that if it does not, she must continue to pursue the matter.

Senator Fidelma Healy Eames

I have been doing that for five years. It is terrible that one cannot get the truth.

Deputy Shane McEntee

The Senator must continue to pursue the matter. The efforts of the Minister for Education and Skills, Deputy Ruairí Quinn, have been extremely well received, especially the manner in which he is addressing the prefabs issue and schools in general. It is a breath of fresh air in County Meath and I have no doubt it is the same in Galway. I hope he will have more announcements to make this year. People like to have solid buildings rather than paying millions in rent for prefabs.

I will read the reply and if the Senator is not happy with it, she must continue to pursue the matter. If one gets involved in something, one must keep at it and it will work out in the end. I am taking this Adjournment matter on behalf of my colleague, the Minister for Education and Skills, and thank the Senator for raising it as it provides me with the opportunity to clarify the current position on the application for an extension at Scoil Mhuire, Clarinbridge and the band rating assigned to the application.

The major capital works application submitted by the board of management of Scoil Mhuire has been assessed in accordance with the published prioritisation criteria for large-scale projects and assigned a band rating of 2.1. The priority attaching to individual projects is determined by these criteria which were formulated following consultation with the education partners. There are four band ratings, each of which describes the extent of accommodation required and the urgency attaching to it. Band 1 is the highest priority rating and band 4 the lowest. Documents explaining the band rating system are also available on the Department's website on education.ie.

The board of management sought a review of the band rating on a number of occasions and more recently sought a further review as it remains of the view that the band rating should be 1.1. The main criterion which applies to a band 1.1 project is that the school is serving a rapidly developing area where either there is no existing school or where the existing provision is unable to meet the demand for places. The application for Scoil Mhuire does not meet the band 1.1 criterion and, having considered the matter, it is deemed that the band rating of 2.1 is still applicable. The school was advised of the outcome of the most recent review earlier this month.

The Senator may find it helpful if I set out the context within which the accommodation needs of schools must be considered in the future. Total enrolment is expected to grow by approximately 70,000 students between now and 2018 - by more than 45,000 at primary level and 25,000 at post-primary level. Second level enrolment is expected to continue to rise until at least 2024. The five year programme which the Minister announced earlier this year will provide more than 100,000 permanent school places, of which more than 80,000 will be new school places. The remainder will involve the replacement of temporary or unsatisfactory accommodation. To ensure every child has access to a school place, the delivery of projects to meet the increasing demographic demands will be the main focus for capital investment over the duration of the plan, in particular in those areas where it has been identified that most demographic growth will be concentrated. While Scoil Mhuire has experienced growth in pupil numbers since the application was submitted in 2000, the level of growth is not considered significant in the context of the projected numbers outlined above and it is in that context that the project has not been included in the five year plan. Given the scale of demand for capital investment to meet demographic growth, it has not been possible to appoint design teams for all projects announced in April 2007. An indicative timeframe for the progression of the project for Scoil Mhuire cannot be given at this time.

Recently the school advised the Department that it had temporary accommodation that was in poor condition. The Department has advised the school that it would be prepared to consider an application from it, should it require additional mainstream or special needs accommodation, or the replacement of temporary accommodation which is beyond its useful life. I, again, thank the Senator for allowing me the opportunity to outline the position.

Senator Fidelma Healy Eames

I know the school will be disappointed with the answer. I must make one clarification; we are not talking about an extension but a totally new school building. The core question remains as to why neighbouring schools were advanced to the band rating 1.1 when the rate of growth in some of them was not as big as that in Clarinbridge national school, yet it has been left behind.

That is the issue those concerned are pursuing. There is a suspicion there was a political stroke in the other cases. It is now time for the Department to rectify the situation and apply fairness across the board.

I thank the Minister of State. I realise he is not in a position to answer that question.

Deputy Shane McEntee

People can put the facts in front of us. That is all I can say about the other schools. Much can be hearsay. If the facts are there let them be given.

Farm Safety

Senator Martin Conway

Tá fáilte roimh an Aire Stáit. I tabled this Adjournment matter before the unfortunate and tragic events in Hillsborough at the weekend. I wrote it and was ready to submit it before the previous term ended. We often get bulletins and updates from different farming organisations, as I am sure the Minister of State did when he was a Deputy. I went through one of these bulletins one night in my office and saw that farm accidents had increased by up to 35%, with the number of fatalities on farms also increasing. That, coupled with an accident that had occurred in County Clare the previous week, prompted me to table this motion in order to give the Minister of State and the Minister, Deputy Simon Coveney, an opportunity to outline what the Government has been doing and its plan or strategy in the matter. Given the events of the weekend the subject has now become focused. On my behalf and that of all Members I wish to express my sympathy to the Spence family. It is unbearable and unthinkable that three members of the one family lost their lives.

We have a responsibility and a role to play in heightening awareness. Similarly, farm organisations have an important role to play, as do schools and the education system. I would like to see a working group set up between the Minister of State's Department and the Department of Education and Skills to roll out a one-day awareness campaign in all primary and secondary schools in farming communities throughout the country. We may have a chance of improving awareness among children, who in turn may have an influence on their parents. Unfortunately, we are all guilty of bad habits which develop over a lifetime of working. Perhaps young people have some chance of influencing their parents in terms of improving standards and eliminating bad and dangerous habits.

The Minister of State may not have reflected on this suggestion, but perhaps an interdepartmental working group could be set up, in association with the farming organisations, to try to reverse this trend. Any loss of life is unacceptable and no life should be lost unnecessarily.

Deputy Shane McEntee

The Senator noted he had tabled this motion long before the tragedy of the past week. I have just returned from the funeral in question. I believed it was my duty to attend, and not merely as a farmer and person involved in agriculture.

Most accidents of this kind that occurred during the past 12 months have been horrific and cruel; this was a silent one. We have talked about extending the time allowed for slurry spreading, and we have fought for this and that, but we never mentioned the dangers concerned. The funeral today had the strongest showing among all the funerals I have attended. It was a funeral in a different religious tradition but as it went on, and the longer it went on, the stronger people became in their voices and their singing and their support for the family. It was said of Graham, Noel and Nevin Spence that they "were lovely and pleasant in their lives, and in their death they were not divided: they were swifter than eagles, they were stronger than lions." Any person from a farming background would know what happened. They had no chance.

On my way in, I met a man called Sean Reid from Collon in County Louth who, as one involved in the Cookstown dairy service, had built a milking parlour for that family to accommodate 180 cows. I hope the Senator does not mind me talking about this for a minute, but in my view this is crucial. He said the Spence family were model farmers - everything on the farm was perfect and done right. This was the one thing that went wrong. It appears that earlier in the day the pit had been agitated and, because it was a calm day, the methane gas that had built up over the summer because of the bad weather remained inside the shed all day. It is a heavier gas than most and when the Spences went in, one by one they were suffocated. Coming back today I heard on the radio their sister and daughter Emma speak about her family - about her father and brothers, each in turn. I do not know how she was able to do it but it is something that everybody in this end of the country should listen to at some stage. It was a fantastic speech by a person who has lost so much.

This subject has not been mentioned in the past 12 months, either in Northern Ireland or in the South. There have been conferences; I have been at them. This kind of accident happens every two or three years but we never mention it. It is our loss and our mistake. Whether North or South, all the dangers of farming are not laid out. We can have all the seminars and do all we like but there is no better way than speaking on the radio. As a Government, we have a responsibility, as do the farming organisations. Anything to do with farming can be lethal - it all depends on how one treats it.

It was a sad day, yet the people at that service celebrated the lives of those three men. There was a complete family wipe-out. There are 180 cows; they can be dried up and that will suffice. A whole farming community and entire farm is involved. Mr. Spence started with three cows but now there is nobody left to perform the necessary duties. I like to think we all pay our respects to the family. It is appropriate on the day that Senator Conway has raised this matter.

As I see it, we are all late on this question and must take much responsibility for that. There are issues concerning dry shafts, or PTO shafts, which is serious matter. Farmers give out about inspections but if one saves a life, one saves a life. This kind of incident must be shown in posters on walls. Somebody must come up with a system for it. A person who does not know about this can walk into death.

Senator Conway is on the relevant committee. Rather than talking about it, I ask him to raise the matter there. As one who was involved in road safety issues, I know the incident that happened last weekend is of a type that we had all forgotten about, even though it has happened in many places.

I will not read out my script. I have had my fill.

Senator Martin Conway

I echo all the sentiments expressed by the Minister of State. Let us hope some good will come out of what was an unspeakable tragedy. I heard some of the comments made by Emma Spence on the radio and they were powerful. It is a lesson for all, and it would be a worthwhile endeavour for every citizen to listen to those powerful words. I respect the fact that the Minister of State represented us with dignity at the funeral today.

Deputy Shane McEntee

The Senator has the mantle now and he has our support. This is an issue we forgot about in regard to farm safety. It is our fault.

Sports Capital Programme Applications

An Cathaoirleach

I welcome the Minister of State, Deputy Michael Ring, to the House.

Senator Averil Power

The Minister of State is very welcome. Sailing was one of the great success stories for Ireland in the London Olympic Games, with eight Irish competitors taking part.

Annalise Murphy, a 22-year-old student, put in the best performance of the lot. Indeed, she put in the best performance for an Irish sailor since the 1980 Moscow Olympic Games.

I raise this issue with the Minister to put the proposition to him that it would be great if the legacy of that success this summer was a Government commitment to help open up access to the sport of sailing to ensure more men and women of all backgrounds can take part.

Sailing is a fantastic sport, one of the few in which the breakdown between male and female competitors can be quite even. It is a sport in which people of all ages can take part. One can be just as successful participating in one's 60s as one can at 16 and people of all ages can compete against each other.

Sutton Dinghy Club in my constituency of Dublin Bay north has submitted an application for this year's sports capital grants. I take the opportunity to draw the Minister of State's attention to the fact that the club has been working hard over a long time to open up access to the sport of sailing. It is a sport that can often be seen as elitist or difficult to break into if one does not have a high income. The cost of equipment in terms of having a boat is very high and some clubs have expensive joining fees and membership fees, which can be off-putting, but Sutton Dinghy Club has made a point of trying to keep access to the sport as affordable as possible. It does not charge an entry fee and it has made an effort to keep the annual membership fee as low as it can, particularly for children. It provides a wide range of courses for non-members and last year more non-members than members - 1,200 people of all ages - took part in its training courses. Groups that have used the club include the local schools, the Ballymun Women's Resource Centre, the Central Remedial Clinic, Pearse Street Night Time Tours drugs awareness group, and Youthreach programmes, to name just five. The Minister will be aware from that mix of groups that it caters for people who are trying to overcome drug problems, people with disabilities and those who have dropped out of school. They are using the sport of sailing to give those people an opportunity to take part in a sport, exercise and enjoy themselves, which they would not have done otherwise.

The success of the club's training programmes, in terms of the number of non-members it can bring through, is largely based on the fact that over the years it has acquired sailing boats for the club. This ensures that boats are on-site to enable those who want to do training courses to complete the Irish Sailing Association level 1 and 2 courses without the need for any equipment of their own and the course fees are quite low. Its problem, however, is that it does not have the boats it needs to enable people do courses of level 3 and above. Its application for the sports capital grant is to secure the funding it needs to buy boats to enable people to do such courses. If funding is granted it will be of benefit to the entire local community and to a wide range of socioeconomic groups in different clubs, as I have mentioned, as well as to men and women equally, which is something the Department has tried to incentivise in previous years through the women in sport initiative and through prioritising applications from clubs promoting equal access to sport for women.

I am glad to have the opportunity to draw the Minister's attention to the club's application. I am aware he has hundreds of them on his desk from people across the country. I appreciate that resources are limited but the club is seeking only €25,000, which is a reasonable amount, but one that will make a difference in that it will open up access to a sport in which many people would not otherwise have an opportunity to partake. I hope the legacy of the success we had in sailing this year will inspire the Minister to take this opportunity to open up access to the sport to ensure more people can enjoy sailing and compete for us in the future.

Minister of State at the Department of Transport, Tourism and Sport (Deputy Michael Ring)

Before I give the Senator the official response, I want to say that my heart is with her on this issue and I will give her an example in that regard. I come from Mayo. There is a place called Bellacragher, a disadvantaged area, as the Cathaoirleach will confirm. It is an area that would not have the wealth of many other areas in the county or the country, yet a man has set up an organisation in Bellacragher which is involved in the activity about which the Senator spoke. He has second-hand boats and great support from the national sailing federation. He has given an opportunity to young people who would never otherwise have one, in terms of resources or money, to get involved in this activity.

The Senator referred to Annalise Murphy. We had a fabulous Olympic Games. I compliment the participants in both the Olympics and the Paralympics who did the country proud. Ms Murphy, who was a great competitor, was very unlucky. I had the pleasure of meeting her in Farmleigh. I met her mother also before the event. I take the opportunity to congratulate her.

We have an abundance of water in this country-----

Senator David Norris

Yes.

Deputy Michael Ring

-----and we should examine areas in which we can do better. We have the facilities. We are surrounded by water and there is no reason we cannot have more success in these sports at international level. I have asked the Irish Sports Council to review the Olympics and the Paralympics to determine where we did well, where we could do better and where our strengths lie, particularly in the high performance areas. We need to target those areas. People talk about how well we did in boxing. The reason we did well is that the Government put money into the high performance areas. In all the other events, the Government has put money into high performance areas and it has worked very well.

I will give the remainder of my reply and if the Senator has any questions following that I will try to answer them. I thank the Senator for raising this issue. Senators will be aware that the sports capital programme is the main channel of Government support for developing sports facilities and purchasing sports equipment for sports clubs and organisations across Ireland. This programme aims to foster an integrated and planned approach to developing sports and physical recreation facilities throughout the country. In particular, its objectives are to assist voluntary and community organisations, national governing bodies of sport, vocational education committees and local authorities in developing high quality, safe, well designed and sustainable facilities in appropriate locations and in providing appropriate equipment to help maximise participation in sport and physical recreation; to prioritise the needs of disadvantaged areas in the provision of sports facilities; and to encourage multi-purpose use of local, regional and national sports facilities by clubs, community organisations and national governing bodies of sport.

On 28 March this year I launched the first round of the sports capital programme for four years. The launch of the first round of the programme since 2008 demonstrates the Government's commitment to encouraging more people to take part in sport. Every pitch drained, every sports hall refurbished and every piece of equipment purchased allows more people to participate in sport to their maximum potential.

The deadline for applications has passed and my problem is that 2,350 applications have been received, seeking almost €230 million in funding. Only €30 million is available for allocations under this round of the programme. It is clear that the level of demand for grants far outstrips supply. This shows great enthusiasm for the sports capital programme, but it means we will be able to allocate only a fraction of the funding sought. It also means that the assessment process is particularly difficult and it will be much later in the year before we are in a position to announce the allocations being made under this round of the programme. It is beyond doubt that assessment of the applications is a very difficult task. That has always been the case, but this year it will be more difficult than ever. This is the first round of the sports capital programme since 2008 and clubs and community groups have been waiting for this moment with much anticipation.

In every parish in every county there are people giving their time and energy to sporting activities and many of them are working very hard to provide or improve facilities that are fit for purpose and accessible. We would love to support every deserving project, but the harsh reality of life is that there are limits to what we can do. That is the reason expectations have to be realistic. The outcome of this process is that there is a huge demand for funding and while it is great to have secured funding of €30 million, when that funding is allocated there will be a large number of disappointed applicants. That is the problem with which we are faced.

Regarding the application referred to by the Senator, the position, as with all other applications, is that there is a process under way whereby the applications are being assessed by departmental officials against assessment criteria. The process aims to target the projects with the most merit while also achieving a geographical spread of funding, as well as a fair spread of funding across different sports. I want to ensure the funding goes across all sports. When the assessment process is completed later in the year, the assessments will be submitted for ministerial approval. That was also the process in previous years. In that context, it would be inappropriate to comment on the merits or otherwise of any one particular application.

Senator Averil Power

I thank the Minister of State for his reply and unscripted remarks. I pretty much expected to hear everything that is contained in his script, but I was not aware of his passion for sailing and his commitment to opening up the position on water sports. I was delighted by what he said in that regard. Would it be possible for him to give an indication of the timescale involved? I gather that a decision on the applications is imminent. I appreciate the fact that he is present to deal with this matter which relates to Sutton Dinghy Club and hope he will consider favourably the club's application which meets all of the criteria relating to disadvantage and equal gender access to sport, etc. He referred to the need to spread resources around. In that context, I am sure he will have many applications from other sports but not that many from sailing. I was interested in his comments to the effect that he had received applications from 2,350 clubs seeking €230 million in funding. That is an average of €100,000 per club. In that context, the €25,000 being sought by Sutton Dinghy Club is a relatively small amount, but it would go a very long way.

Deputy Michael Ring

I know the Senator's heart is in the right place. I cannot comment on the particular application to which she refers, but given that she asked an honest question, I will give her an honest answer. As we have received 2,350 applications, the assessment process is going to take somewhat longer to complete. A management board meeting is to take place tomorrow and I have already given the Senator information that I will be imparting to the management board when I meet its members. The position is that we are hoping to be ready to proceed by the middle of November. I want the allocations to be issued by the end of that month because this will give clubs an opportunity to begin planning for the works they wish to carry out in 2013. That is the up-to-date position. The decrease in staff numbers in my Department has also lengthened the applications assessment process. In addition, we were really taken aback by the number of applications received.

We want to be fair to everyone involved and ensure all applications meet the criteria. There is no doubt but that I will be approached with applications which do not meet them. The Senator has made a very important point to the effect that every sport, particularly those which are minority in nature, must be given some of the money that is to be allocated. The three main sports always seem to do better. That is natural enough because they have more organisations and clubs. However, we must also consider the position of minority sports. I will be examining all of the relevant information and working to ensure, to the best of my ability, that there will be a good geographical spread in the funding to be allocated.

I must be honest and highlight the fact that the previous Government allocated money every year. We only have €30 million available to us and, as a result, many applicants are going to be disappointed. Some of them are seeking massive amounts of money. In that context, we will be obliged to consider the position carefully and then decide how we intend to proceed with the allocations.

Senator Averil Power

I thank the Minister of State.

Road Network

Senator David Cullinane

The Minister of State has indicated that he is a keen fan of sailing. If he had been in west Waterford during the month of August, he would, in the aftermath of the heavy rainfall, have needed a boat to make his way around certain parts of the area. This matter relates to the impact of said rainfall on the roads in west Waterford.

On 12 August extensive damage was caused to roads in the Lismore electoral area and west Waterford in general. Over 40 millimetres of rain fell in a four hour period and this resulted in roads being washed away, mudslides, debris being washed onto roads and extensive surface damage on many local roads. As the Minister of State will appreciate, there was heavy rainfall for the remainder of August and it continued into the early days of this month. This led to the problem being exacerbated. Waterford County Council estimates that the cost of repairing the damage will be €2.5 million. It has written to the National Roads Authority and the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport seeking assistance in repairing the damage. The National Roads Authority has advised that it has no additional funding available and that the council should reallocate its specific improvement grants. In fact, the council has already done this, but it only enabled it to free up €600,000. That amount will only allow it to repair a small number of the roads on which work will be required.

I am aware that many roads throughout the country, even those in the Minister of State's constituency, require repair. However, in this instance, I am referring to serious damage that has been done to many local roads, a large number of which remain unusable and those who live on them are badly affected because there are often no alternative routes for them to take.

As stated, the estimated cost of the repairs is €2.5 million. Waterford County Council has submitted to the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport an extensive list of the roads involved, the nature of the repairs which must be carried out and the cost of these repairs. I have a copy of the list in my possession and can give it to the Minister of State if he so desires. It shows that the county council has already assessed repairs requiring the allocation of €1.8 million, €1.3 million of which relates to repairs on local primary roads. As stated, many such roads are currently impassable. The council simply does not have the means available to it to carry out the necessary repairs. Like other local authorities, its budget has been continually cut during the past four years. In addition, road maintenance grants have been cut in the past four or five budgets.

Many of the roads in County Waterford to which I refer are in a bad state of repair. The director of services with responsibility for roads in the county is very concerned that if the repairs are not carried out now, the cost of making them next year will be much higher. The State would actually save money if the necessary funding was made available now to allow the roads to be repaired. Remediation works should be carried out now because otherwise some of the roads to which I refer will be either washed away completely or will decay into an even worse state of repair. This is a serious issue which must be addressed.

It is unusual for very senior officials of local authorities to lobby Oireachtas Members and other elected representatives. Those in County Waterford have gone to that extraordinary length as a result of the serious nature of the problem. I ask the Minister of State to give genuine consideration to this matter and ascertain whether extra funding might be made available for the repair of the roads to which I refer.

Deputy Michael Ring

I thank the Senator for raising this very important and serious issue in his constituency. I am replying on behalf of my colleague, the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport, Deputy Leo Varadkar, and thank the Senator for giving me the opportunity to address it in the House.

The improvement and maintenance of regional and local roads are the statutory responsibility of each local authority, in accordance with the provisions of section 13 of the Roads Act 1993. Works on these roads are funded from local authorities' own resources supplemented by State road grants paid by my Department. The initial selection and prioritisation of works to be funded is also a matter for local authorities. The Minister announced regional and local road grant allocations for the current year on 30 January last. A total of €376 million is being provided under the regional and local roads investment programme this year. From that allocation, Waterford County Council is being provided with over €9 million. The level of grants allocated to individual local authorities is determined having regard to a number of factors. These include the total funds available in a particular year; eligibility criteria for the different road grant schemes; road pavement conditions; length of road network; the need to prioritise projects; and competing demands from other local authorities. In determining the annual grant allocations, the overall objective remains to supplement the resources provided by each local authority in a fair and appropriate manner.

Last month Waterford County Council wrote to the Department seeking additional funding of €2.5 million for the repair of roads in the Lismore area which had been damaged as a result of extensive rain and flooding. The council was informed that my Department would facilitate any revision it wished to make to its 2012 specific improvement grant allocation in order to accommodate rehabilitation works on roads damaged by the recent bad weather and floods and the deferral to 2013 of less critical works. The council was also informed that the 2012 regional and local road grants had been fully allocated. Given the current financial position, there are no further funds available from which an allocation for these works could be made. It should be noted that the Department's current and capital expenditure is ahead of profile and that it is highly unlikely there will be any savings or unspent funding by the year end. Capital expenditure is actually €46 million ahead of profile, while current expenditure is €48 million ahead of profile.

Between 2002 and 2012, Waterford County Council spent more than €168.7 million on regional and local roads. Of these moneys, 76%, or €128.2 million, was provided through State grants, with the remaining 24%, or €40.5 million, coming from the council's own resources. In view of the current economic difficulties, it is vital that local authorities prioritise increased expenditure from their own resources on their roads programmes. Each authority must carefully reassess its provision in light of the impact of the weather on road networks.

Senator David Cullinane

I thank the Minister of State for his reply. The reality, however, is that local authorities will find it very difficult to raise the extra money locally given the constraints on their already limited revenue streams, including rates. The bottom line is that they require the support of central Government, particularly in respect of their roads programmes. I accept that the Government has a limited pot of money, but we are dealing here with exceptional circumstances. Roads have effectively been washed away as a result of unexpected volumes of rainfall. Local authorities cannot plan for such situations and there is a responsibility on the Department to do what it can to assist them. Will the Minister of State raise this matter with the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport with a view to providing further assistance for Waterford County Council?

Deputy Michael Ring

I certainly will bring the difficulties the Senator has outlined to the attention of the Minister and will also raise them at tomorrow's management board meeting. As the Senator knows, when the allocation for local government is made, there is an expectation that some local authorities will not draw down the full amount and that the surplus arising as a result can be reallocated to those authorities which may require it as a consequence of circumstances such as he has outlined. As it stands, we are looking at a €2 million overrun and are hoping that some funding will not be drawn down by other local authorities. As a member of a local authority for many years, I am in complete agreement with the Senator that there will always be unforeseen events and emergencies. In Mayo, for example, we often had to deal with floods, landslides and so on. An option that might be available to Waterford County Council would be to reallocate any funding that has not yet been drawn down for identified roadworks in order to deal with the current crisis. The departmental officials have confirmed to me that the situation there is very serious, with roads in very poor condition. I agree that something must be done and will convey that view to the Minister.

The Seanad adjourned at 7.25 p.m. until 10.30 a.m. on Thursday, 20 September 2012.