David Stanton (Cork East, Fine Gael)
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71. To ask the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport the amount of extra funding support his Department has provided to Cork County Council for the repair of roads damaged by flooding in the wake of Storm Babet; his plans to provide further allocations in this regard; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [13047/24]

David Stanton (Cork East, Fine Gael)
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Five months ago, we experienced the consequences of climate change in a devastating way in east Cork with Storm Babet, which led to businesses, homes, roads and so on being devastated. I have two questions. First, how much extra funding has the Department provided to Cork County Council to date for the repair of roads damaged by the flooding? Second, what plans has the Minister to provide further moneys this year and next?

Eamon Ryan (Dublin Bay South, Green Party)
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The improvement and maintenance of regional and local roads is the statutory responsibility of each local authority, in accordance with the provisions of section 13 of the Roads Act 1993. Work on these roads is funded from councils’ own resources and supplemented by State road grants. The Department emphasises to local authorities each year the importance of setting aside a contingency fund to manage events such as severe flooding.

Following Storm Babet, the prompt restoration of the road network was essential from a safety perspective as well as for maintaining key social and economic connections. Last year, my Department provided an additional €350,000 to Cork County Council to begin some emergency rehabilitation works to facilitate the opening of some key roads for access to schools and communities. Cork County Council sought additional financial support to assist in carrying out its duty as the road authority. Last November, my Department received an initial estimate of remedial road costs. Earlier this month, though, Cork County Council revised its costs downwards for works to be carried out on the impacted infrastructure in 2024. My Department has committed a further €13 million to the council this year. This amount aligns with the council’s current and substantiated funding request for works. As of now, the Department has not received a full cost of all works to be conducted in 2024. It takes time to fully assess damage and the associated remedial costs.

We are committed to assisting Cork County Council – from within resources, where possible – 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 recurring. In addition, 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 reviewing the matter.

David Stanton (Cork East, Fine Gael)
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I thank the Minister for his response. Will he provide some figures for how much additional funding has been indicated to his Department? He spoke about a downward revision. How much is that? Did he say that the council had already received €13 million or €30 million? I am not clear on that, as I could not hear him properly.

The Taoiseach told me in the Dáil recently that a special allocation had been made from the Exchequer to address the damage done in Donegal. Does the Minister intend to ask for a special allocation from the Department of public expenditure and reform to cover the damage to roads in Cork? I understand that the current estimate is between €50 million and €55 million. Has the Minister that amount of money at his disposal in his Department or will he have to go to the Department of public expenditure and reform for it?

Eamon Ryan (Dublin Bay South, Green Party)
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I went to Midleton the day after the storm. The floods were just receding. It was remarkable to see the work of the local authorities and various other State agencies managing the crippling impact on the town and surrounding areas, including Glanmire. We committed then, and I recommit here today, that whatever was needed to restore the roads and provide connectivity, safety and so on would be provided. Typically, though, it takes time to assess the damage and scale up the response. The initial response was a €350,000 allocation, mainly to assess the nature and design of the works.

The Deputy is right, in that Cork County Council initially estimated a cost of in or around €51 million, but there was no proper estimate involved in that. It was just a first assessment. The council has subsequently lowered that amount. We have committed €13 million this year, but it is likely that there will be further funding. Some of this takes time and may run into the following year, with us having to spend the money then. There will not be a need to go to the Department of Public Expenditure, NDP Delivery and Reform. We can cover it from within the existing budget allocation.

Catherine Connolly (Galway West, Independent)
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I thank the Minister. He will have a chance to contribute again.

Eamon Ryan (Dublin Bay South, Green Party)
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We will work closely with the council to ensure that we solve the problems.

David Stanton (Cork East, Fine Gael)
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I acknowledge that the Minister and the Minister of State, Deputy Chambers, visited Midleton. Many of the rural roads in question remain virtually impassable. I have driven on them myself and they are in an awful condition. They will require additional funding. Has the €13 million been handed over to Cork County Council? Does the Minister not agree that there is a significant gap between €13 million and €50 million?

The council does not have the funding to do it. This was an exceptional event. What plans does the Minister have to ensure the roads that are so badly damaged, especially the very many rural roads that citizens need and use all of the time, are repaired? I have driven them myself and they are absolutely appalling. They are totally cut away. Some of them have very deep trenches torn out of them for their full length, especially in higher rural areas where the volume, speed and power of the water was devastating. Will the Minister commit to finding the funding and making it available as soon as possible? Has the funding been transferred already and what will happen for the rest of this year?

Catherine Connolly (Galway West, Independent)
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Just before the Minister responds, I want to point out that this is a question on Cork. I am enforcing the rules here.

Ruairi Ó Murchú (Louth, Sinn Fein)
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Can I come in?

Catherine Connolly (Galway West, Independent)
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Is your question on Cork?

Ruairi Ó Murchú (Louth, Sinn Fein)
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It relates to funding and flooding.

Catherine Connolly (Galway West, Independent)
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You will have to come in on a different question. I am enforcing the rules here.

Eamon Ryan (Dublin Bay South, Green Party)
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It is a long way from Dundalk to Midleton.

We are committed to providing the funding. We do not have a substantiated funding request as yet but as soon as we do, we will be able to fund Cork County Council. We do not fund in advance of the cost estimates and claims coming in but we will provide the funding that is necessary. It takes time but there are precedents here. The Deputy mentioned Donegal and there was a similar example in Wexford two years ago, with very significant losses of bridges and damage to local and regional roads. We have experience in terms of how we can help out councils. This is climate change happening before our eyes and it is increasing. We are scaling up our ability to respond to what is effectively a climate change act and we will make sure the county is provided with whatever funding is necessary.