Seán Canney (Galway East, Independent) | Oireachtas source

I gave figures for the number of houses that are being projected. I draw the Senator's attention to schemes that have been completed and their success. For example, a project was completed in Ballinasloe and it was shown despite the rise in the flood water levels that occurred in December 2015, the flood defence wall that was put in place protected the people there from flooding. That is the benefit of that project. It is estimated that one of the CFRAM projects when it is completed will afford protection to 3,500 houses. If we spend €1 million on the major projects, the cost benefit of that is that we will save €1 million worth of properties from being damaged. It is a one-to-one benefit in terms of expenditure. With the minor works, we have to show a cost benefit of one and a half times the expenditure to fulfil the criteria. It is measured in terms of the number of properties and businesses that will be protected when a project is carried out.