Dáil Éireann Debate, Tuesday - 3 March 2015
227. Deputy Michael Healy-Rae asked the Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform if funding will be provided to protect the road and coastline from storm damage in an area (details supplied) in County Kerry; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [8794/15]
View answerThe Government Decision referred to by the Deputy allocated total funding of up to €19.6m for the repair of existing coastal protection and flood defences damaged in the severe weather in late 2013 and early 2014 based on submissions made by the relevant local authorities to the Department of the Environment, Community and Local Government. The local authorities submitted to the Office of Public Works (OPW) programmes of repair works setting out how they intended to spend their allocations. Kerry County Council's (KCC) programme of works did not include for works at Kilshannig and as a result there is no specific provision for works at this location in the sum allocated to KCC under the Government Decision.
Of the allocation of up to €19.6m, a total of €7,675,195 has been paid to local authorities to date of foot of their draw down applications. The OPW understands that local authorities are continuing to progress projects on their programmes of repair works and it is expected that the balance of the allocation of €19.6m will be drawn down in full by them during 2015. KCC has so far drawn down €1,206,275 of the total of €1,226,920 allocated to it based on its programme of repair works. Some flexibility is allowed to each local authority in relation to possible re-allocation of funding to projects on its programme of works, subject to the overall sum allocated to it in the Government Decision not being exceeded.
