Dáil Éireann Debate, Thursday - 15 February 2024
103. Deputy Pádraig O'Sullivan asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage following the destruction of storm Babet, how much relief funding has been paid out since October 2023 to date in 2024; if there will be a requirement for additional funding; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [6889/24]
View answerMy Department is designated as the Lead Government Department for co-ordinating the response at national level to seven scenarios, including severe weather and flooding. The National Directorate for Fire and Emergency Management (NDFEM), within my Department, is tasked with co-ordinating the response to these emergencies working closely with Met Éireann, local authorities, who are the lead agency for the response to severe weather, Government Departments and other agencies as set out in the document “Strategic Emergency Management - National Framework.”
With reference to the weather systems experienced during October and November 2023, as you know Ireland was impacted by three major storms during this period, Storms Babet, Ciarán and Debi. These storms brought with them significant rain and wind which when combined with complex coastal, pluvial and fluvial conditions resulted in significant flooding, especially for the south and east of the country. The dangerous wind speeds impacted on power and water supplies and transport infrastructure across the country.
I am acutely aware of the extreme hardship that has been caused in many parts of the country as a result of these serious weather events, and the constraints on local government finances at this time. With this in mind, my Department sought Exchequer funding specifically to assist impacted local authorities with exceptional expenditure directly associated with the recent flood response.
A Circular was issued by my Department to all Chief Executives, inviting them to make an application with relevant details of the exceptional costs and current expenditure incurred by the local authority in respect of storm response activities. Eligible costs included; hire of plant and contractors for necessary immediate works, purchase of materials required for response and clean-up, staff overtime payments specific to the event and immediate clean-up. There was an option for any local authority to make a business case for other costs considered exceptional. As always, my Department continues to work with local authorities to support them over the coming months, as they implement their recovery plans.
In total €4,967,703.03 was recouped to the twelve local authorities who submitted claims for the recoupment of exceptional expenditure arising over this period as a result of severe weather.
It should be noted that my Department supports local authorities in respect of the exceptional costs of the immediate cleanup in the aftermath of such storms. Local authorities work with other Government partners in relation to funding for the repair of roads, bridges and other infrastructure as part of their longer term recovery.
While our focus is on the Local Government sector, my Department also liaised with both the Department of Social Protection and the Department of Enterprise, Trade and Employment to request that they activate their Humanitarian Schemes. Details of the assistance provided should be available from my colleagues in those Departments.
