Results 4,341-4,360 of 4,674 for speaker:Seán Canney

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Finance, Public Expenditure and Reform, and Taoiseach: Estimates for Public Services 2016: Minister of State at the Department of Public Expenditure and Reform (29 Sep 2016)

Seán Canney: In terms of channel clearing, this year alone the OPW has spent €15 million, some €5 million of which was spent on the Shannon basin. In some cases the local authorities have responsibility for cleaning channels and in others, it is the responsibility of the Office of Public Works. The OPW funds the local authorities to clear some channels. There are channels which are not...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Finance, Public Expenditure and Reform, and Taoiseach: Estimates for Public Services 2016: Minister of State at the Department of Public Expenditure and Reform (29 Sep 2016)

Seán Canney: Areas where there is an impediment to the flow of water, they will be looked at either by the OPW, if the area is its responsibility, or the local authority. If the Senator wants me to consider the lakes in Castlebar, we can come back to him on that in terms of the plan.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Finance, Public Expenditure and Reform, and Taoiseach: Estimates for Public Services 2016: Minister of State at the Department of Public Expenditure and Reform (29 Sep 2016)

Seán Canney: I thank the Senator and I am delighted she asked me about Crossmolina. It is truly one particular project on which I got some traction going when I got into office. On the issue of individual property protection, engineers have been appointed, surveys have commenced and are ongoing and it is scheduled to run for eight weeks. The funding is being provided by the OPW. Mayo County Council is...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Finance, Public Expenditure and Reform, and Taoiseach: Estimates for Public Services 2016: Minister of State at the Department of Public Expenditure and Reform (29 Sep 2016)

Seán Canney: First, the issue of coastal erosion is being dealt with by way of minor works and the figure can be up to €500,000 for any one project.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Finance, Public Expenditure and Reform, and Taoiseach: Estimates for Public Services 2016: Minister of State at the Department of Public Expenditure and Reform (29 Sep 2016)

Seán Canney: Just to answer the question, there are a number of projects which are included in the CFRAM programme. The Senator's particular question concerns an area in an SAC which, if it is not protected, will fall into the sea. That we allow that to happen, rather than protect a house in it, is unique and an anomaly. I invite the Deputy to meet me and my officials to look at the particular problem...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Finance, Public Expenditure and Reform, and Taoiseach: Estimates for Public Services 2016: Minister of State at the Department of Public Expenditure and Reform (29 Sep 2016)

Seán Canney: I can assure the Senator that he will receive an answer much quicker than that. I will take up his invitation to visit the area with him.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Finance, Public Expenditure and Reform, and Taoiseach: Estimates for Public Services 2016: Minister of State at the Department of Public Expenditure and Reform (29 Sep 2016)

Seán Canney: A sum of €3 million has been allocated.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Finance, Public Expenditure and Reform, and Taoiseach: Estimates for Public Services 2016: Minister of State at the Department of Public Expenditure and Reform (29 Sep 2016)

Seán Canney: I will clarify the matter. The figure the Senator has given is for the amount expended up to the end of June. Local authorities are allocated the money, carry out the work and draw down the money from the OPW. A lot of work is happening and the draw-down will increase.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Finance, Public Expenditure and Reform, and Taoiseach: Estimates for Public Services 2016: Minister of State at the Department of Public Expenditure and Reform (29 Sep 2016)

Seán Canney: A funding allocation of €3 million has so far been approved for local authorities and up to the end of June, they had drawn down €178,000. I am sure that figure has since increased since. By the way, local authorities do not have to draw down funding for minor works within the calendar year. Approval may be given this week and the local authorities concerned will have until...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Finance, Public Expenditure and Reform, and Taoiseach: Estimates for Public Services 2016: Minister of State at the Department of Public Expenditure and Reform (29 Sep 2016)

Seán Canney: I am being informed that the Government gave a special allocation of €15 million to deal specifically with storm damage. That resulted in a spike last year.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Finance, Public Expenditure and Reform, and Taoiseach: Estimates for Public Services 2016: Minister of State at the Department of Public Expenditure and Reform (29 Sep 2016)

Seán Canney: That was money allocated to repair the coastal damage caused by Hurricane Desmond. It was a specific allocation and also resulted in a spike at the time.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Finance, Public Expenditure and Reform, and Taoiseach: Estimates for Public Services 2016: Minister of State at the Department of Public Expenditure and Reform (29 Sep 2016)

Seán Canney: I agree with the Senator. It is the way it is being reported.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Finance, Public Expenditure and Reform, and Taoiseach: Estimates for Public Services 2016: Minister of State at the Department of Public Expenditure and Reform (29 Sep 2016)

Seán Canney: I will respond firstly to what the Senator said about accessibility to our sites. I have visited places where the accessibility is not there yet. I do not have figures for the cost of doing it at a number of sites where we do not have it properly in place. I will try to gather those figures and come back to the Deputy. It is important that we have total accessibility. It is something we...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Finance, Public Expenditure and Reform, and Taoiseach: Estimates for Public Services 2016: Minister of State at the Department of Public Expenditure and Reform (29 Sep 2016)

Seán Canney: Yes.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Finance, Public Expenditure and Reform, and Taoiseach: Estimates for Public Services 2016: Minister of State at the Department of Public Expenditure and Reform (29 Sep 2016)

Seán Canney: Absolutely.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Finance, Public Expenditure and Reform, and Taoiseach: Estimates for Public Services 2016: Minister of State at the Department of Public Expenditure and Reform (29 Sep 2016)

Seán Canney: Yes.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Finance, Public Expenditure and Reform, and Taoiseach: Estimates for Public Services 2016: Minister of State at the Department of Public Expenditure and Reform (29 Sep 2016)

Seán Canney: It is something we will be taking up with the interdepartmental group, at which the local authorities are represented. Senator Horkan mentioned voluntary property relocation. I am acutely aware that we need to do something for people when there are no other engineering solutions to their problems. We need to work closely with them to get relocation schemes in place. The Senator also...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Finance, Public Expenditure and Reform, and Taoiseach: Estimates for Public Services 2016: Minister of State at the Department of Public Expenditure and Reform (29 Sep 2016)

Seán Canney: Yes. We may not have a fully factored-in number of units that would be involved. The important thing is that we need to put a scheme in place for people who have already been identified through the local authorities. I refer to those who cannot benefit from any other solution.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Finance, Public Expenditure and Reform, and Taoiseach: Estimates for Public Services 2016: Minister of State at the Department of Public Expenditure and Reform (29 Sep 2016)

Seán Canney: We have to be careful here. In many cases, people would be better served by individual property protection than by relocation. All these schemes would be voluntary. What other issues were mentioned by the Senator?

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Finance, Public Expenditure and Reform, and Taoiseach: Estimates for Public Services 2016: Minister of State at the Department of Public Expenditure and Reform (29 Sep 2016)

Seán Canney: The emergency plan, which is a response to the flooding emergencies of winter 2015-16, is being led by the Department of Defence in conjunction with the local authority, the OPW, the Civil Defence, the Irish Red Cross, etc. This group will meet on 9 November to review what happened last year and to prepare for the coming winter. It is important that we ensure we have enough sandbags...