Shane Ross (Dublin Rathdown, Independent) | Oireachtas source

A new drainage grant of €10 million has been given by the Department, which should address the problems the Deputy is talking about.

To answer Deputy O'Keeffe, and in anticipation of what everybody else may quite rightly and understandably ask about as a result of the problems in their local areas brought about by the storms, everybody received their allocation at the end of January. That allocation was a largely increased allocation. It was a substantially increased allocation for local roads. It was accompanied by a clear message to local authorities that they should provide their own contingency fund in the event of exceptional damage of this sort. That was made absolutely clear to them at the time and that remains the situation. There obviously will be forms to fill in. They can apply clean-up charges, which I gather they are doing at the moment, and they are receiving them. There are no plans for any extra funds to be provided as a result of the storm damage in Storm Emma because of the stipulation that was made at the time that they should make their own contingencies and because there were large increases.

Deputy Troy asked about the clean-up costs. Local authorities could certainly apply for clean-up costs and I gather a large number of them have done so. They will get a response from my Department in due course.

Deputy Troy also asked about cycling infrastructure and said the budget has been halved. The intention is to increase the budget on cycling infrastructure over four years and to treble it. That was made absolutely clear. More than €100 million - I think it was €110 million - was provided for new urban cycling and walking routes in the greater Dublin area and in the Galway, Limerick, Cork and Waterford city areas, which will provide additional and sustainable travel options to complement increased capacity and faster, higher quality public transport in our main cities. In previous years, the greenways provided the bulk of the cycling infrastructure. We separated greenways and increased their funding in the current budget and in the years ahead.

We have provided a large amount of money - I think it is €56 million - for greenways in the coming three years. That is a commitment which is part of the cycling infrastructure and one which I think the Deputy will welcome. I think the Deputy is wrong on that issue. There is a massive commitment to cycling infrastructure which will continue.