Dr. Cecil Beamish:

Members have made many points. This is part of a response being taken by the Government and, as such, it is focused on particular types of infrastructure and problems. In preparing and trying to assess the damage, we did not make only one estimate. We have been doing this assessment since the storms commenced and our engineers have been interacting with local authority engineers to assess the damage as it has been occurring and estimating repair costs. The Government's response is built up on that basis.

It is true that the position has evolved with each storm and no one can state that we have reached the end point. The estimate has been built up on that basis. As of last Friday, the assessment was drawn up and presented to the Government on the basis of the projects we have drawn up with the local authorities. This also took account of the estimated costs of repair.

Many of the projects are relatively small and can probably be dealt with through direct labour. If the local authority wants to deal with the problem through direct labour, it can apply for funding and deal with it in that way. Many of the smaller works will certainly be done this way.

A question was raised about the number of contractors. We have not noted any shortage of contractors in any of the works we have been tendering. As I stated, most cases do not involve highly complex engineering problems.

Much of the infrastructure around the coast is up to 150 years old, although it will have been updated, repaired or patched in the meantime and some of it is newer. Many of the affected piers, slipways and harbours involve small works. Nevertheless, they are important for local communities. It is a matter of getting the version to scale.

We are dealing only with that type of infrastructure as coastal erosion and coastal protection are matters for the Office of Public Works to address in conjunction with local authorities. The €8.8 million response of the Government is not intended for those purposes as that type of work is primarily for the OPW.

Deputy McNamara spoke of various reports dating back to 1992.