Dáil Éireann Debate, Tuesday - 29 November 2016
795. Deputy Fergus O'Dowd asked the Taoiseach and Minister for Defence the funding that has been provided to County Louth over the previous three years, from 2014 to 2016, by project name, location and funding amount, in tabular form; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [37219/16]
View answer796. Deputy Fergus O'Dowd asked the Taoiseach and Minister for Defence the applications submitted for funding for projects from Louth County Council in each of the years 2014 to 2016, in tabular form; and if the applications were successful. [37235/16]
View answer797. Deputy Fergus O'Dowd asked the Taoiseach and Minister for Defence the funding for projects in 2017 in County Louth to be provided by his Department by project name, location and funding amount, in tabular form; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [37251/16]
View answerI propose to take Questions Nos. 795 to 797, inclusive, together.
Expenditure by my Department is mainly on pay and allowances and the operational costs and capital investment across the Defence Forces. My Department does not provide funding on a geographic basis, with the limited exception of the funding provided from the Defence Vote in respect of Civil Defence and for the upgrade and development of military installations.
Civil Defence training and operations are funded by a combination of a central grant from the Department of Defence and a contribution from the relevant local authority on a 70/30 basis. The annual operational grant from Defence covers 70% of the running costs of Civil Defence each year and the Local Authority provides the remaining 30%. Applications for funding from Local Authorities are based on the actual expenditure incurred during the year and are submitted retrospectively.
Grants are also issued to the Local Authorities on application, from time to time, towards the purchase of vehicles and equipment. There are no outstanding grant applications from Louth County Council at present.
As funding is provided retrospectively, there are no details yet available in relation to funding for Louth County Council for 2017.
The relevant information in relation to County Louth, for the years 2014 to 2016, is presented in the following table.
Civil Defence Funding - Louth
|
Year |
Projects |
Funding |
|
2014 |
Annual Operational Grant for Civil Defence |
€82,847 |
|
|
Swiftwater Rescue Equipment Grant |
€2,860 |
|
2015 |
Annual Operational Grant for Civil Defence |
€73,273 |
|
|
Grant towards purchase of two 4x4 vehicles |
€35,350 |
|
|
Refund of costs of Hepatitis immunisation for Civil Defence volunteers |
€3,825 |
|
2016 |
Annual Operational Grant for Civil Defence |
€67,568 |
|
|
Grant towards purchase of Minibus |
€4,968 |
|
|
Grant towards the purchase of an Ambulance |
€17,750 |
In relation to the upgrade and development of military installations, the following table provides the relevant figures for County Louth for the years 2014 to 2016, with an estimated €40,000 planned for 2017.
Upgrade of Military Installations - Louth
|
Year |
Location |
Funding |
|
2014 |
Aiken Barracks |
€255,231 |
|
2015 |
Aiken Barracks |
€87,340 |
|
2016 |
Aiken Barracks |
€200,500 |
