€200,000 of funding has been announced to address local flood risks caused by blocked rivers in Kerry.
Minister of State with responsibility for the Office of Public Works (OPW), Kevin ‘Boxer’ Moran, announced today that a once-off €3 million fund is being allocated to local authorities to remove river blockages.
Blockages often occur in locations such as river crossings, bridges or culverts and cause a restriction to rivers, posing a risk of the flooding of properties.
The scope and scale of the OPW’s existing Minor Flood Mitigation Works and Coastal Protection Scheme has also been expanded.
The demand-led minor works scheme provides funding to county councils to address localised flooding and coastal erosion problems through projects costing up to €2 million.
The criteria for the scheme have now been expanded to increase the scope of works councils may carry out.
The revisions include an increase in the upper threshold in funding for projects from €750,000 to €2million, and an increase in the OPW contribution from 90% to 95% for the balance of approved funding above €300,000.
Further revisions include the relaxing economic criteria for viable solutions.
Children's Minister Norma Foley, Fianna Fáil deputy Michael Cahill, Independent TD Danny Healy-Rae, and Senator Mike Kennelly have welcomed the announcement.
