Brian Hayes (Dublin South West, Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

Senator O'Donovan spoke about Bantry, but I understand that it comes under the CFRAM process. It is complicated by the harbour issue. I wish to be fair to the other towns in Senator O'Donovan's constituency. Last week I was in some of the larger towns in south west Cork. Works will happen this year in Skibbereen and Bandon, and the following year in Clonakilty. Those communities have been hit.

I agree with Senator Colm Burke on the involvement of stakeholders. Local authorities should look at relief on rates for businesses in areas hit by the weather. We look for international advice. Many of the CFRAM contracts involve international engineers who are working with us. We need to learn from best international advice. I fully agree with him and we are very conscious of the need to learn from others. Fresh ideas are crucial in this regard.

Senator Mooney raised the question of humanitarian aid. The reason such a small amount has been drawn down, as he rightly points out, was that extensive flooding was quite localised. I have spoken to the Minister for Social Protection and I know there will be a much more significant drawdown. Apparently, the income threshold is €70,000 per house. The people affected have to replace floors and white goods, and if they have no insurance, we will have to help in the structural improvement of the houses. The local authorities and the OPW have a role in advising the Department of Social Protection about what is being proposed when people have no insurance cover. I expect significant sums will be drawn down from the €10 million. Senator Naughton spoke about one body being responsible. The OPW is the body dealing with CFRAM, which will give us the strategic view and the long-term solution. Once we have the CFRAM maps in place this year and provide the solutions to the European Commission by December 2015, we will be in a good position to plan for the future.

I hope I have answered Senator Mulcahy's point about one Minister. The reason we have chosen to use the existing schemes is that these schemes exist across four or five Departments and there is no point in creating a new bureaucracy. My message to local authorities and my colleagues who are working with local authorities is to get the applications into the OPW as soon as possible so that the OPW can turn them around and put them in fund to get the repair work done.