Paddy Burke (Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

Expenditure is being cranked up with the allocation of €50 million this year and €100 million next year. Many agencies are involved, including the OPW, the local authorities, the National Parks and Wildlife Service, fisheries boards and so on. Would it better if one agency, which could get advice from the other agencies, had responsibility for the carrying out of the work? Does the Minister of State not consider that the process is cumbersome with all the different agencies that are involved? This will be a major issue in future. The Minister of State has referred to the moneys involved. Millions of euro will be spent on flood defences over the next number of years. To be more efficient and to hit the ground running faster, does he not think that the OPW should have the entire responsibility, taking the advice from the other agencies? Does he believe the current position is suitable whereby one body does one function and the other body does the other?