Marian Harkin (Sligo-Leitrim, Independent)
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254. To ask the Minister for Housing, Planning, and Local Government if a funding package will be put in place to cover the cost of already completed stabilisation works by Leitrim County Council on the Dawn of Hope Bridge, Drumkeerin and associated works carried out on local infrastructure such as roads and so on to address the impact caused by the recent landslide on Shass Mountain; and if a funding package will be put in place to complete all necessary future works including a compensation package for farmers. [42643/20]

Malcolm Noonan (Carlow-Kilkenny, Green Party)
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The role of my Department, in relation to matters such as this is focused on the immediate response phase, with particular emphasis on life safety and rescue. Through the established arrangements operated by NDFEM, funding can be considered only in relation to the immediate response costs of local authorities, i.e., urgent costs incurred by affected Local Authorities in the response, for instance emergency teams, including staff overtime, hiring plant, etc.

The broader sweep of issues relating to risk assessment and recovery lie with a range of Government Departments and agencies including the Department of Agriculture; the Department of Transport in relation to roads, and the OPW in relation to flooding etc. As a general principle, funding for repair of public infrastructure, and other schemes to fund those affected by severe weather and flooding, is undertaken by the relevant Department(s) in line with sectoral responsibilities.  Each Government Department liaises directly with local authorities in relation to funding of repairs and restoration being carried out through the local government system.   

It is against this established practice that the Department of Transport has made €1.2 million available for the stabilisation of the Dawn of Hope Bridge and for repairs to associated roads in the area. The matter of the landslide at Shass Mountain in County Leitrim remains under review by the Drumkeeran inter-agency working group, designed to bring all stakeholders together, and the response ultimately resides with a number of Government Departments and agencies. 

The Deputy is on the inter-agency working group and is privy to the ongoing and constructive engagement on the matter.