Eoghan Murphy (Dublin Bay South, Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

The re-profiled money will come back to us next year. The €100 million is solid. I know we are discussing this under the Estimates, but we will probably get back to it when we review Rebuilding Ireland a little later. My intention is to open another round of funding as soon as we have engaged every local authority that was successful in the first round of funding. That is when we will announce more money. This €2 billion is solid there.

I have met people from counties Donegal and Mayo who are affected by the mica issue. They have been marching the long yards. They have been incredibly patient with the Government under very difficult circumstances. I am grateful for the work of colleagues across the House. I have been working more closely on this issue with the Minister, Deputy McHugh, and Senator Mulherin than with some others. They have been working with the Minister of State, Deputy English. At budget time, I was able to agree with the Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform and the rest of our Cabinet colleagues that there would be a scheme and that it would open this year. We are very close to finalising what that scheme will be. When I say "close", I mean weeks. A couple of previous delays meant that the memorandum could not get on the Cabinet agenda. Then a few more ideas came to the table. Money has notionally been allocated. As we have said previously, money will be made available this year. My officials and I will have to see where we can make it available from. On the basis of an initial estimate, we believe we can and will make money available. At the moment, the Department is trying to finalise the details of the scheme, how it is applied, who gets access and what the liability will be beyond 2019 in terms of the money available each year after this year.