David Stanton (Cork East, Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

I thank the office of the Ceann Comhairle for selecting this matter. I also thank the Minister of State, Deputy Ossian Smyth, for being here to debate it with me. It is eight weeks yesterday since the awful devastation occurred in my town, Midleton, where shops and homes were badly damaged. Floods, the like of which were never seen before in the region, caused devastation. This evening in particular I want to focus on the roads and bridges that were destroyed. Some of them are still not open. I am sure the Minister of State will appreciate the difficulty that is causing residents, businesses, farmers and so on.

I have been raising the issue consistently since that time because I do not want it to go on the long finger or for the file to be forgotten. I am sure that will not happen. I was told at one stage that Cork County Council is now turning its focus on assessing the impacts the flood waters have had on rural roads and infrastructure in the hinterland of Midleton and Youghal where local primary and secondary roads have been badly impacted. I was told that would allow for a clear picture to develop of the estimated costs for the appropriate works to make the worst affected areas of the road network safe. Safety is an important issue. I got the response on 24 October. We are now heading for Christmas. I understand that Cork County Council has made a submission to the Department of Transport looking for funding. A number of figures have been bandied about, ranging from €23 million up to €50 million and maybe even more. We do not know. Some roads that were extraordinarily badly damaged are still closed. I have never seen the like of it. They were torn up with the power of the water that fell on that particular day. In fact, it was so bad we were lucky no one was drowned.

Could the Minister of State tell me what is the estimate of the damage? Could he tell me if the Department has received a request from Cork County Council for serious funding to repair the damage? When will the Department be in a position to make a decision? I was told on 30 November that the Minister was committed to working closely with Cork County Council to assist in addressing the issues caused by Storm Babet and to help restore our road network. Road grant allocations for the coming year are expected in early 2024. I was also told in that written response that the Department is aware that most of the council's funds in this financial year are expended or committed and any level of reprioritisation of work is limited. I know that Cork County Council got €350,000 to support emergency repairs and to facilitate the opening of some key roads. I was told by the Minister in November that prompt restoration of the road network is required to maintain a safe environment and to enable social and economic connectivity. A certain amount of funding was made available but the reports I am getting are that a Cabinet decision is required to provide significant funding. While that is going on the roads are still closed and the people in the area are being discommoded. Some of these roads are extraordinarily unsafe.

Could the Minister of State let me know, first, if a request has come in from the council? Is there an estimate of the damage? What is it? How soon will the Department of Transport be able to provide the funding to allow the council to get on with the work? I ask that given the fact that the council's funds in this financial year are expended or committed. The council does not have the money to do it, yet the people need the roads to be repaired.

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