Brendan Griffin (Kerry South, Fine Gael)
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198. To ask the Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform if he will review an application by Kerry County Council for flood defence work at a location (details supplied) in County Kerry as the public infrastructure here is at the mercy of the sea and repairs would end up costing multiples of the protection works required; if he and his officials would consider a visit to the area; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [43905/14]

Simon Harris (Wicklow, Fine Gael)
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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 13th December to 6th January 2014. The Department of the Environment, Community and Local Government (DoECLG) wrote to Kerry County Council on 27 February, 2014 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 Office of Public Works (OPW) to undertake the necessary repair works to damaged coastal protection and flood defence infrastructure identified by Kerry Council in its submission to the D/EC&LG.

The estimates submitted by Kerry County Council to the DoECLG included for repair works at Fahamore and strengthening works at Kilshannig estimated at €3,000 and €70,000 respectively. However, significant strengthening works fall outside of the scope of the Government Decision and this was made clear to all local authorities. Only the repair works such as those at Fahamore 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 €3,000 for works at Fahamore. It did not include for works at Kilshannig. 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.

While an application for funding for substantial strengthening works at Kilshannig estimated to cost €500,000 was submitted by Kerry County Council to the OPW in the context of the storm damage funding process, this application was superceded by the letter of 27 February 2014 from the D/EC&LG to the Council informing it of its funding allocation under the Government decision.

The application received from the Council in relation to the proposed significant works at Kilshannig was, in any event, only at a summary level and more detailed planning and feasibility studies and technical analysis would have to be carried out by the Council to ensure all options are fully assessed and considered and to facilitate the allocation of scarce public resources on a priority basis nationally.