merrion street

Minister for the Environment, Community & Local Government, Phil Hogan TD, today (28th Feb 2014) confirmed that arising from Government decision on 11 February, letters issued yesterday to seven worst affected local authorities detailing funding arrangements up to specified levels of allocation for repair and restoration programmes arising from the early phase of severe weather. The details for the local authorities in question are as follows

Local Authority Repair Funding Ceilings Once-off re-imbursement

Clare €16.205 m €608,878

Galway €9.491 m €477,750

Waterford €7.378 m €200,000

Mayo €6.396 m €509,000

Cork €3.980 m €868,700

Kerry €2.699 m €280,329

Donegal €1.380 m €150,000

The Minister said, “The sums allocated are generally in line with funding requests made, except that requests for funding of new coastal protection works have been separated and forwarded to OPW for consideration. It is intended to issue letters to remaining authorities today, but the sums involved are smaller.” The vast bulk of the funds will be disbursed by The Department of Transport and the OPW.

The National Directorate of Fire & Emergency Management has been working with local authorities for the past two weeks to compile a comprehensive picture of the damage and the costs associated with severe weather in the period from 27 Jan to 17 February.

The approach proposed at this point therefore is for the Minister to bring a Memo to Government next week which will provide an update for the Cabinet, with an Interim Report, and to work with other Departments and agencies in the two weeks ahead with a view to bringing a Memo and Full Report in relation to possible additional funding for the costs/repairs of damage caused by the more recent severe weather for Government decision at the end of March.