Dáil Éireann Debate, Tuesday - 11 March 2014
193. Deputy Joe Carey asked the Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform if his Department has received an application in respect of a project (details supplied) in County Clare; if he will explain the associated process from receipt of such an application to the development taking place, indicating timelines and so on; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [11970/14]
Amharc ar fhreagraThe Government decided on 11 February 2014 to make available up to €69.5 million (based on estimates provided by the local authorities concerned) for a programme of repair and remediation works to roads, coastal protection and flood defence and other public infrastructure damaged in the storms from 13 December 2013 to 6 January 2014. Of the total amount being made available up to €19.6 million is available via the Office of Public Works for the repair of damaged coastal protection and flood defence infrastructure.
The Department of the Environment, Community and Local Government wrote to Clare County Council on 27 February, 2014 indicating that, based on the estimates submitted by the Council to that Department, an amount of up to €16,205,637 is being made available to the Council to undertake the necessary repairs works. Of that total, an amount of up to €8,276,433 is available via the OPW in respect of the cost of repairs to damaged coastal protection and flood defence infrastructure in the county.
Clare County Council must submit a programme of works to the Department of the Environment, Community and Local Government indicating how it proposes to spend the overall allocation that is being made available to it. The Council has also submitted applications for funding to the OPW in respect of the coastal protection and flood defence repair works it proposes to undertake. These applications have been reviewed by the OPW and it will be writing to the Council shortly in relation to the matter.
The applications submitted by Clare County Council to the OPW included an application in relation to Cloughaninchy. This application was for the construction of a new coastal protection rock armour or similar structure at this location and so is outside the scope of the Government Decision on funding for repairs to and reinstatement of existing structures. A new coastal protection scheme for Cloughaninchy would involve very significant investment and require detailed prior study and assessment to determine that it will achieve the intended design objective(s) and be economically and environmentally viable. Clare County Council will need to address this separately and outside of the current process aimed at repairs and emergency works. However, if Clare County Council has carried out temporary emergency works at this location the cost of these may be eligible for funding or re-imbursement.
