Written answers

Wednesday, 22 October 2014

Department of Public Expenditure and Reform

Flood Relief Schemes Funding

Photo of Brendan GriffinBrendan Griffin (Kerry South, Fine Gael)
Link to this: Individually | In context | Oireachtas source

83. To ask the Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform further to recent works by Kerry County Council, if he will provide additional funding to assist embankment repair works at a location (details supplied) in County Kerry; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [40608/14]

Photo of Brendan GriffinBrendan Griffin (Kerry South, Fine Gael)
Link to this: Individually | In context | Oireachtas source

84. To ask the Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform the applications he has received from the local authority to address flooding problems at a location (details supplied) in County Kerry; if he will visit the location and meet the local persons affected; the funding avenues that remain open to the local authority in respect of this location; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [40609/14]

Photo of Simon HarrisSimon Harris (Wicklow, Fine Gael)
Link to this: Individually | In context | Oireachtas source

I propose to take Questions Nos. 83 and 84 together.

The Office of Public Works (OPW) allocated substantial funding of €180,000 to Kerry County Council under the Minor Flood Mitigation Works & Coastal Protection Scheme in 2012 for embankment strengthening works at Cromane and Incherea. This funding has now been drawn down by the Council.

The Government Decision of 11 February, 2014 specifically addressed the allocation of funding for the repair of existing public infrastructure damaged by storms in the period of 13 December to 6 January 2014. The Department of the Environment, Community and Local Government (DoECLG) wrote to Kerry County Council indicating that, based on the estimate submitted by the Council to that Department, up to €1,226,920 was being made available to the Council via the OPW to undertake the necessary repair works to damaged coastal protection and flood defence infrastructure.

The estimates submitted by Kerry County Council to the DoECLG included for strengthening works at Incherea, Glenbeigh and both repair and strengthening works at Cromane Lower However, strengthening works fall outside of the scope of the Government Decision. Only the repair element of projects such as that at Cromane Lower are covered under the allocation. The programme of works the Council submitted to the OPW detailing how it proposes to spend the total allocation of €1,226,920 included an amount of €30,000 for repairs to a coastal embankment at Cromane Lower. This programme was approved and it is a matter for the Council to prioritise and progress these works and to draw down the funding that was allocated. An application to draw down part of the funding was submitted by the Council last week and it is currently being processed. The application did not include an amount for drawdown in relation to the repair work for the embankment at Cromane Lower.

The strengthening works at Cromane Lower and Incherea identified by the Council are a matter to be addressed separate to the current Government approved process aimed at repairs and emergency works.

Comments

No comments

Log in or join to post a public comment.