Dáil Éireann Debate, Tuesday - 25 March 2014
668. Deputy Andrew Doyle asked the Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government the consideration that has been given to particular areas in County Wicklow that were subject to recent storm damage; if he will provide in tabular form the allocation his Department have provided the county to the local authority or otherwise; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [13183/14]
View answerFollowing consideration of a report from me on the severe weather that affected Ireland in the period from mid-December 2013 to 6 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. €62 million of this will be for local authorities in the areas worst affected by severe weather to help affected communities by restoring roads, coastal protection and other amenities, facilities and infrastructure, including piers and harbours. The Government decision was based on estimates provided by local authorities.
The Report on the Severe Weather from 13 December 2013 to 6 January 2014 contains details of estimates of the cost of damage caused on a county by county basis and has been published on my Department’s website ( www.environ.ie ).
Wicklow County Council did not report any infrastructure damage resulting from the severe weather from 13 December 2013 to 6 January 2014. However, it did estimate that it incurred costs of €26,329 associated with the response to the storms. This includes the costs of response, clean-up works and necessary immediate works which were undertaken in the aftermath of the storms. Wicklow County Council was notified on 7 March that a once-off allocation in this amount is being made to the Council to recoup these costs. This allocation will be drawn down from my Department on provision of appropriate documentation.
Further considerable damage has been caused by flooding and storm events that have occurred since 27 January, particularly the severe storm which impacted on 12 February. Details on damage caused and estimated repair costs in relation to these more recent events are being collated by my Department based on estimates provided by local authorities, including Wicklow County Council. These costs are currently being assessed.
