Dáil Éireann Debate, Tuesday - 11 March 2014
196. Deputy Éamon Ó Cuív asked the Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform the details of the funding sought under the emergency programme of rehabilitative works following recent storms by Galway County Council in relation to works on Inishbofin Island; the details of the works for which funding has been sought; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [12076/14]
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 Galway County Council on 27 February, 2014 indicating that, based on the estimates submitted by the Council to that Department, an amount of up to €9,491,055 is being made available to the Council to undertake the necessary repairs works. Of that total, an amount of €1,144,800 is available via the OPW in respect of the cost of repairs to damaged coastal protection and flood defence infrastructure in the county.
Galway 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 throughout the County. These applications included four projects for the repair and reinstatement of existing coastal revetment walls at the Inishbofin Middle Quarter, the Inishbofin East End, the Inishbofin south facing shore and Inishbofin North Beach. The OPW will be writing to the Council shortly in relation to the matter.
Details on the funding sought by Galway County Council in relation to the repair of damaged infrastructure other than coastal protection and flood defence structures is not available to the OPW and the Deputy should request this information from the relevant Departments concerned i.e. the Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine in relation to damage to piers and harbours and the Department of Transport, Tourism and Sport in relation to damage to roads and other coastal amenities.
