Michael McNamara (Clare, Labour) | Oireachtas source

I will use the very limited time available to me to ask a question of the Minister of State. Would a designation of SAC or SPA help to bring private lands under the scope of the EU Solidarity Fund? Many Deputies, MEPs and Senators have been calling for EU funding. While that is very helpful we need to consider the extent to which that could be useful. Article 3 of the directive that established the Solidarity Fund is quite prescriptive in the types of works for which funding can be received from the European Union. Among those areas that can be funded is the immediate securing of preventive infrastructures and measures of immediate protection of the cultural heritage, and immediate cleaning up of disaster stricken areas, including natural zones. Obviously it applies to works carried out by the State.

Does the habitats directive or the birds directive impose a duty on the State to carry out repairs to habitats and areas damaged by the storm because there is a duty on the State to restore them? That might be restoration in the case of damage by individuals and many landowners in the area might not normally be appreciative that their lands are in SPA or SAC-designated areas. In areas such as Clohaninchy near Quilty considerable damage has been done to private lands by a golf course, and also Ballynacally and Killadysart which are all SPA designated. Does that designation require the State to carry our remedial works and how would that be funded?

An issue that caused considerable damage was the neglect of culverts across the west coast of County Clare. There has been a bun fight involving the OPW, the Department of Agriculture, Food and Marine, and Clare County Council that has gone back over decades as to which is responsible. It does not really matter who is responsible; they are in State ownership and need to be repaired soon.

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