Éamon Ó Cuív (Galway West, Fianna Fail)
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216. To ask the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport the total amount approved by his Department through the Office of Public Works for works arising out of the storms that occurred between 13 December 2013 and 6 January 2014; the amount claimed to date by local authorities; the amount expended to date by his Department; if any unspent balances for work not completed will be carried over into 2015 to enable the local authorities complete the works; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [47603/14]

Paschal Donohoe (Dublin Central, Fine Gael)
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There were a number of severe weather events from late 2013 into 2014.   After the December/January damage the Government acknowledged that the budgets of Local Authorities and relevant Departments/Offices did not provide for the estimated direct financial costs for clean-up and infrastructure repair and restoration works, and agreed that additional funding would be made available to Local Authorities via the Votes of the respective Departments/ Offices. My Department was in contact with local authorities at various points during the year in relation to progress on works required to repair damage caused to roads by severe weather and to establish what funding would be drawn down this year.  Based on the responses from local authorities a Supplementary Estimate for €14.1 million was approved this week for my Department to cover expenditure on roads related to severe weather damage.  In addition works to the value of about €2.1 million are due to be undertaken in 2015.

A total of €6.8 million has been provided under the Supplementary Estimates for my Department in respect of Severe Weather funding for damages to Iarnród Éireann infrastructure and rolling stock. I anticipate that the full amount will be claimed before the end of this year.

The Irish Coast Guard facilities suffered minor damage during the severe weather and all necessary matters have been addressed through the OPW.

My Department is also considering an appropriate mechanism for allocating the approved funding to address the storm damage to the Shannon River Embankments at Shannon Airport, within the 2015 budgetary process.