Written answers

Tuesday, 24 March 2015

Department of Environment, Community and Local Government

Severe Weather Events Response

Photo of Noel GrealishNoel Grealish (Galway West, Independent)
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890. To ask the Minister for Environment, Community and Local Government the moneys allocated for storm damage repairs in 2015; the amount that has been allocated to County Galway; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [11547/15]

Photo of Alan KellyAlan Kelly (Tipperary North, Labour)
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The Government decided on 11 February 2014 to allocate funding of up to €69.5 million to local authorities in the areas worst affected by the first phase of severe weather in respect of the damage caused between 13 December 2013 and 6 January 2014. This was intended to support communities by restoring roads, coastal protection, amenities/facilities and other public infrastructure which had been damaged. It was agreed that the funding would be made available via the Votes of the appropriate Departments, viz Department of Transport, Tourism and Sport; Department of Agriculture, Food and Marine; the Office of Public Works and my own Department.

In the case of funding requirements which fall under the remit of my Department, viz, tourism infrastructure funded by the local authorities, certain piers, harbours and other facilities in the charge of the local authorities, current costs totalling €4million and capital costs totalling €13.1million were estimated initially for the first phase of severe weather. For the second phase of severe weather, from 27 January to 17 February 2014, local authorities estimated current costs of €3.5million and €8.5million in capital costs. Some additional works beyond the original €7.5m initially estimated were identified under the current costs heading covering clean-up and necessary immediate repairs and by the end of 2014 €7.859m was disbursed by my Department.

Current costs of €0.481m were identified by Galway County Council of which €0.478m was drawn down in 2014. With regard to capital costs, a total of €5.994million was paid by my Department in 2014. In the case of Galway County Council, it identified capital costs totalling €3.012m under the expenditure headings listed above, covering both phases of severe weather, of which €0.338m was drawn down in 2014.

Provision has been made in my Department's Vote for a further €10million in respect of capital costs to be incurred by local authorities in 2015 on repair and remediation projects, including those projects to be progressed by Galway County Council, under the expenditure headings that fall under the remit of my Department as indicated above. While it is a matter for individual local authorities to decide which projects are to be progressed and in which timescales, local authorities have been advised to give priority to works that are significant for economic activity and support the tourism industry in particular.

My Department intends writing to local authorities shortly, including Galway County Council, inviting the submission of further claims for recoupment. As was previously the case, recoupment of funding will be based on the submission of certification by the local authority that expenditure has been incurred within the overall expenditure ceilings indicated. The 2015 funding position will be kept under review by my Department over the course of the year.

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