Michael Healy-Rae (Kerry South, Independent)
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114. To ask the Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform the status of funding for sluice gates on an embankment to protect the homes and properties of the residents at Incharee, Glenbeigh, in County Kerry; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [3466/16]

Simon Harris (Wicklow, Fine Gael)
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The embankments at Incherea are old Land Commission embankments and the Office of Public Works (OPW) is not responsible for the upkeep of these embankments.

It is a matter for Kerry County Council (KCC) in the first instance to investigate and address issues of coastal protection and flooding at the location indicated. It is open to KCC to undertake any required remedial works using its own resources. Alternatively, if, following assessment, KCC can identify any economically and environmentally viable measures to address the flooding problem at this location, it may apply for funding to carry out proposed works under the OPW Minor Flood Mitigation Works and Coastal Protection Scheme. Any application received will be assessed under the scheme's eligibility criteria. Application forms and related guidelines are available on the OPW website under Flood Risk Management..

In accordance with the scheme criteria funding of €80,000 for this location was granted to KCC in 2012. No further application for funding has been submitted by KCC to date in respect of this location.

While KCC requested funding for strengthening works at Incherea following the coastal storms which affected the western seaboard in December 2013 and January 2014 the works were outside of the scope of the Government Decision allocating funding for storm damage repairs.