John Deasy (Waterford, Fine Gael)
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Question 517: To ask the Minister for the Environment, Heritage and Local Government if he will allocate emergency funding to Waterford County Council to assist them with remedial works as a result of inclement weather in the week ending 29 October 2006 which has been estimated at €675,000, not including overtime or machinery costs. [36354/06]

John Deasy (Waterford, Fine Gael)
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Question 518: To ask the Minister for the Environment, Heritage and Local Government the contingency funding his Department has to assist with emergencies such as those created following flood damage in the week ending 29 October 2006; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [36355/06]

John Deasy (Waterford, Fine Gael)
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Question 519: To ask the Minister for the Environment, Heritage and Local Government the estimates he has received from each local authority in relation to the damage which occurred as a result of floods on 25 October 2006; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [36356/06]

Dick Roche (Wicklow, Fianna Fail)
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I propose to take Questions Nos. 517 to 519, inclusive, together.

In September 2004 the Government confirmed the Office of Public Works (OPW) as the State's lead agency in flooding, to be tasked with delivering an integrated, multifaceted programme aimed at mitigating future flood risk and impact. My Department has not received requests from local authorities for funding in respect of remedial works as a result of bad weather in the week ending 29 October 2006.

My Department provides assistance to local authorities to supplement their own resources in respect of a number of local authority functions. For example, the Local Government Fund, which is estimated at €1.4 billion this year, is ring-fenced exclusively for local government and used mainly to fund general-purpose and non-national road grants. General Purpose grants may be used by local authorities to meet their ongoing and special expenditure requirements, including flood relief.

The improvement and maintenance of non-national roads is a matter for the relevant local authority to be funded from its own resources supplemented by State Grants. My Department's Memorandum on Grants for Non-National Roads indicates that the cost of remedial works on non-national roads, necessitated by flooding, storm damage and other severe weather conditions, must be met from local authorities' own resources and discretionary grants provided by my Department. Local authorities have been advised that they should set aside contingency sums from these resources to finance such works. In 2006, the discretionary grant allocation to county councils is almost €53 million and the block grant allocation to City, Borough and Town Councils is €15.51 million.

Funding is also available under the Water Services Investment Programme in respect of works that form part of a waste water scheme and are necessary to prevent surcharging of foul sewers.