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For Oral Answer on : 21/03/2024
Question Number(s): 71 Question Reference(s): 13047/24
Department: Transport
Asked by: David Stanton T.D.
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QUESTION
To ask the Minister for Transport the amount of extra funding support his Department has provided to Cork County Council for the repair of roads damaged by flooding in the wake of storm Babet; his plans to provide further allocations in this regard; and if he will make a statement on the matter.
REPLY
The improvement and maintenance of regional and local roads is the statutory responsibility of each local authority, in accordance with the provisions of Section 13 of the Roads Act 1993. Works on these roads are funded from Councils’ own resources and supplemented by State Road grants. The Department emphasises to local authorities each year the importance of setting aside a contingency fund to manage events such as severe flooding.
Following Storm Babet, the prompt restoration of the road network was essential from a safety perspective as well as maintaining key social and economic connections. As such in 2023, my Department provided €350K to Cork County Council to begin some emergency rehabilitation works to facilitate the opening of some key roads for access to schools and communities.
Cork County Council sought additional financial support to assist in carrying out its duty as the Road Authority. In November 2023, my Department received an initial estimation of remedial road costs; however, earlier this month Cork County Council revised their costs downwards for works to be carried out on the impacted infrastructure in 2024. My Department has committed €13m to the Council in 2024 – this amount aligns with the Council’s current and substantiated funding request for works.
As of now, the Department has not received a full cost of all works to be conducted in 2024. It takes time to fully assess damage and associated remedial costs.
Going forward, we are committed to assisting Cork County Council, where possible from within resources, in managing essential repair works, especially the opening of key roads and bridges, as well as investing in future proofing our road networks to help reduce the probability of such damage reoccurrences. In addition, I understand that Cork County Council has been in contact with TII regarding the impact of Storm Babet on the national road network, and that TII are currently reviewing the matter.
