Thomas Pringle (Donegal South West, Independent)
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231. To ask the Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform if he has received an application for funding for coastal erosion works from Donegal County Council for protection works at Maghery Strand in west Donegal, where large volumes sand are being blown inland; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [10278/15]

Thomas Pringle (Donegal South West, Independent)
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232. To ask the Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform if he has received an application for funding for coastal erosion works from Donegal County Council for protection works at Buncronan, Mountcharles, County Donegal; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [10544/15]

Simon Harris (Wicklow, Fine Gael)
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I propose to take Questions Nos. 231 and 232 together.

Local flooding and coastal erosion issues are matters for Local Authorities to investigate and address in the first instance and Donegal County Council (DCC) may carry out flood mitigation and coastal protection works using its own resources.

The Government Decision of 11 February, 2014 allocated total funding of up to €19.6m for the repair of existing coastal protection and flood defences damaged in the severe weather in late 2013 and early 2014 based on submissions made by the relevant local authorities to the Department of the Environment, Community and Local Government. A total sum of €662,000 was allocated to DCC under the Government Decision. The local authorities submitted to the Office of Public Works (OPW) programmes of repair works setting out how they intended to spend their allocations. DCC's programme of works did include for works at Maghery Strand. Funding for works at this location was not approved however, as, on the basis of the information provided, the proposed works did not meet the criteria of reinstatement of existing built coastal defence infrastructure. It is for DCC to resubmit application which meets criteria. The programme of works did not include works at Buncronan, Mountcharles and as a result there is no specific provision for works at Buncronan in the total sum of €662,000 allocated to DCC under the Government Decision. As it was not included in DCC's programme any proposals for works in that location must be considered outside of the Government Decision.

The OPW operates a Minor Flood Mitigation Works and Coastal Protection Scheme. This administrative Scheme's eligibility criteria, including a requirement that any measures are cost beneficial are published on the OPW website, www.opw.ie. It is not available for repair of damaged infrastructure or for maintenance of existing flood defence or coastal protection assets. A Local Authority may apply to the OPW for support under the scheme having regard to those eligibility criteria. Application forms are available on OPW's website under Flood Risk Management and decisions are made having regard to the overall availability of funding for flood risk management.