David Stanton (Cork East, Fine Gael)
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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.

Ossian Smyth (Dún Laoghaire, Green Party)
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I thank Deputy Stanton for raising this issue. I welcome the opportunity to discuss this important topic with Members on behalf of the Minister for Transport.

I understand that Deputy Stanton's questions relate to State funding provided to Cork County Council for emergency repairs of roads and bridges following Storm Babet, with a particular emphasis on the east Cork region.

As Deputy Stanton is aware, Ireland has already experienced several severe weather events this winter, including Storm Babet. Heavy rainfall associated with this event led to widespread flooding in certain areas. Unfortunately, saturated ground conditions and high river levels compounded flooding events, particularly in the south of the country. Consequently, there is significant damage to parts of the national, regional and local road networks.

It takes time to assess the impact of a storm event on the road network. Clean-up activities take precedence, and it is only when river levels recede that a full assessment of damage to bridge infrastructures can be determined. Indeed, the full extent of the damage following Storm Babet in mid-October is only becoming wholly apparent now. Some roads remain impassable and some bridges are still out of commission.

The Department of Transport, Transport Infrastructure Ireland, TII, and Cork County Council are working closely together to identify and assess the damage, and thereafter to plan appropriate remedial action and determine estimated costs of repair.

Prompt restoration of the road network is essential from a safety perspective as well as maintaining key social and economic connections. As such, Cork County Council has begun some emergency rehabilitation works and the Department of Transport has reprioritised funding to provide the council with €350,000 to facilitate the opening of some key roads for access to schools and communities.

Unfortunately, as all regional and local road grants are fully allocated for 2023 there was little additional scope for extra funding for emergency works from this year's programme.

At this point, it is important to highlight that the improvement and maintenance of regional and local roads is the statutory responsibility of each local authority, in accordance with the Roads Act 1993. Works on these roads are funded from the council's own resources, supplemented by State road grants, while the construction and operation of national roads is a matter for TII, in conjunction with the relevant local authorities. I understand that Cork County Council has been in contact with TII regarding the impact of Storm Babet on the national road network, and that TII is currently reviewing the matter.

The Department of Transport emphasises to local authorities each year the importance of setting aside a contingency fund to manage events such as severe flooding and storms. That being said, due to the severity of Storm Babet, some local authorities, including Cork County Council, have sought additional financial assistance to carry out their duties as road authorities. The Minister for Transport is conscious that significant action is required to restore our critical road infrastructure to active use. He is committed to giving due consideration to repair and rehabilitation funding requirements as part of the 2024 regional and local road grant allocations process. It is expected that these road grants will be issued in early 2024.

In summary, the Minister for Transport recognises the requirement for a prompt restoration of the road network. It is vital for safety as well as providing a high level of service and maintaining social and economic connectivity. In 2024, the Minister for Transport is committed to assisting Cork County Council, where possible from within resources, in managing essential repair works, especially the opening of key roads and bridges, as well as investing in future-proofing our road networks to help reduce the probability of such damage reoccurring.

David Stanton (Cork East, Fine Gael)
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I understand that the Minister of State is only standing in for the Minister and that he did not write this reply. He probably has nothing to do with it and he is only reading out the script, as I have done myself on many occasions when I was in that position. It is disappointing that there is not an indication on how much has been requested by the council. Perhaps the Minister of State can go back and ask for that information from the Department of Transport. Has a request been made and for how much? He might let me know what it is.

It is also disappointing and a bit alarming when the Minister tells us it is expected that road grants will be issued in early 2024. What does that mean? Is it January, February or March? Does that mean that many of the roads which are still closed and that are damaged and dangerous, as the Minister has acknowledged in his response, will be left that way until some time in early 2024 and then the council will have to go off and start tendering and getting contractors in to do the work? We could be talking about the summer before some of these roads are brought back into use again. I have been highlighting this for quite a bit and I will keep highlighting it and bringing it up because otherwise the file might end up on a dusty shelf somewhere and be forgotten about. The people in the area are very concerned. There are also some private bridges which were very badly damaged and are now dangerous. They could fall into rivers leading to more flooding. In the background the flood relief scheme needs to be advanced as a matter of urgency. Interim measures to do with the flood relief scheme also need to be put in place. Very often when something like this occurs everyone goes into a flutter and a flap and they say “God this is terrible” and that they will do this, that and the other. Then when it dies away, people just kind of forget about it and then the next crisis comes along. But for the people of east Cork this is still very worrying. People in Midleton are very concerned that we could have another flood leading to more devastation. There is a lot going on here and a lot needs to be done but the road network is really crucial along with bridges, including some private bridges like Moore's Bridge and Water Rock, and needs to be taken into account. The council is doing its best but it really needs the Department and the OPW to step up to the mark and assist.

Ossian Smyth (Dún Laoghaire, Green Party)
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I believe the Minister for Transport visited east Cork and perhaps Midleton as well at the time of the event. It was not for a photo op but to discuss directly with people how this was affecting them because as the Deputy knows himself, that is the only way to understand what the problem is and how to address it. As I said, Transport Infrastructure Ireland, the county council and the Department of Transport are working together on this. The €350,000 has already been transferred from the Department for immediate works but it takes some time for the extent of the works needed to come to light. I am not sure, and I do not know from this answer, whether the council has submitted a request for funding or whether there is an amount of funding, or if it is ready to do that yet. What I have to go on is a statement that early in the new year new funds will be allocated to fix bridges and fix roads. I imagine they will be the highest priority. How could they not be? We have to have our bridges and roads in order.

The Deputy said that significant funding would require a Cabinet decision. That may not be the case. The Department of Transport has significant funding, as do the council and TII. It may be possible to proceed with the works without a Cabinet decision. If a Cabinet decision is made, a number of Cabinet members represent Cork. I am sure they will look favourably on what is required there.