Dáil Éireann Debate, Tuesday - 20 March 2018
1006. Deputy Catherine Murphy asked the Minister for Housing, Planning and Local Government if the adequacy of resources at individual local authority level will be considered in the post-extreme weather review; if so, the process that will be used; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [11757/18]
Amharc ar fhreagraArising from the recent spell of severe weather, each local authority will be reporting in due course to their Council members on their response activities over this period. Local authority reports will also be supplied to my Department where they will be considered and relevant information included in the national review report. It is the normal practice for my Department to compile a review report following an emergency event in order to identify points of success which may be consolidated and weaknesses which can be addressed, both at local and national level.
Since 2009, my Department has made financial support available to assist local authorities in meeting the costs of clean-up and necessary immediate works associated with significant severe weather emergency events such as the one just experienced. This is in recognition of the exceptional nature of activities carried out by local authorities in responding to these types of emergencies and the fact that the costs of these un-programmed activities cannot be met from within existing resources. My Department intends extending this support to cover this recent period of severe weather and is writing to all local authorities to get estimates of the costs incurred.
