Dáil Éireann Debate, Tuesday - 18 February 2014
535. Deputy Pearse Doherty asked the Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government if he will provide a table showing the amount each local authority has requested in emergency funding as a result of recent flooding; and the amount each local authority estimates the damage caused. [8368/14]
View answerFollowing consideration of a report from me on the severe weather that affected Ireland in the period from mid-December 2013 to early January 2014, the Government decided on 11 February that a sum of up to €70 million will be made available for a programme of repair and remediation works. This will enable local authorities in the areas worst affected by severe weather to help affected communities by restoring roads, coastal protection and other infrastructure and amenities. The Government decision was based on estimated costs supplied by local authorities. The arrangements for drawing down the funds by local authorities will be finalised following discussions between local authorities, my Department and the Department of Public Expenditure and Reform, with the intention that it will be done as speedily as possible to enable local authorities to continue to help affected communities. This funding is in addition to the €25 million which Government has already announced for the Department of Social Protection’s Humanitarian Assistance schemes and €1 million of this will now be channelled through the Society of St Vincent de Paul and the Irish Red Cross to assist families affected by the storms and flooding. The full report on the storms as submitted to Government, containing details of estimates of the cost of damage caused on a county by county basis, will be published on my Department’s website (www.environ.ie) this week and I will make arrangements to supply the Deputy with a copy.
