Ms Clare McGrath:

The minor works scheme is demand led. It is for local authorities to bring forward proposals. I hope there is a sense of how it works given how the CFRAM matters are being dealt with and delivered. This applies in other parts of the house as well, but the OPW does not simply undertake these capital schemes. We have to live with them afterwards. That is why we are maintaining 11,500 km of river channel although we have not done arterial drainage since the 1980s. We still have a responsibility for maintaining them. For example, the Fermoy, Clonmel, and Kilkenny schemes have to be maintained. We have considerable interest in what happens to these schemes in future, in their maintenance and in keeping them at the design level throughout, including the one in 100 year event flood protection.

We are engaged in this at the moment. One example relates to Cork County Council. We have developed a number of schemes with the council. We are working through getting the optimum service level agreement which will then be used for all other local authority areas. It is not only a question of looking to a local authority and delegating the work to them the work to be delivered under their powers. It is also a question of the consequences for all of us in the long term. There is quite a level within the several level agreements. I do not disagree with the need to put them in place, but we want to know that we are getting them right. Equally, in fairness to local authorities, there are demands on their side and they want to get them right too. We are working through with them on the service level agreements.