Ossian Smyth (Dún Laoghaire, Green Party) | Oireachtas source

On the approach to sea level rises all around the country and its effect on critical infrastructure, housing and so on, the Climate Action Plan will continue to address that. There will be specific actions relating to flooding. People will pay particular attention to that in the current environment.

On whether the local authorities need extra capacity, I know the OPW will act in an advisory capacity to anybody who has been allocated money. If local authorities feel they do not have the capacity to draw it down they should write to the Minister of State, Deputy O'Donovan and let him know, if that is what the problem is. Really, many of these are small projects of under €0.5 million. They are the kinds of projects that local authorities are well capable of delivering if they put their minds to it. There is a role for county councillors to put pressure on their own local authorities to actually carry out the work.

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