Joe McHugh (Donegal North East, Fine Gael)
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Question 220: To ask the Minister for Finance the position regarding a grant (details supplied) recently allocated by his Department; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [37718/10]

Martin Mansergh (Tipperary South, Fianna Fail)
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The allocation referred to by the Deputy was made by the Office of Public Works under the Minor Flood Mitigation Works & Studies Scheme, which I introduced in 2009 to provide funding to local authorities to address localised flooding problems in their administrative areas. Under the scheme, local authorities were invited to submit applications for funding for proposed mitigation measures that are economically viable and environmentally sustainable, up to a maximum cost of €500,000 in each instance. A maximum allocation of 90% of the total cost of a project is available, with the balance of the cost being met by the Local Authority.

Donegal County Council submitted a number of funding applications under the scheme this year. The application submitted by the Council in respect of the flooding problem in Burnfoot, which put the estimated cost of the proposed work at €75,000, was assessed by OPW engineers and was found to meet the eligibility criteria. A sum of €67,500, representing 90% of the estimated cost of the work, was allocated to the Council.

It would be open to Donegal County Council to submit further applications under the scheme.