This article is from page 1 of the 2014-09-23 edition of The Clare People. OCR mistakes are to be expected so download the original SWF or the rendered page 1 JPG
CLARE is set to lose almost half of the € 8.276 million allocated to the county for coastal protection works following last year’s devastating storms. The Off ce of Public Works [OPW] wrote to Clare County Council last week, warning them that they could lose funding for coastal protection, such as damaged sea walls, if the money is not spent by the end of 2014. To date, the council has been granted € 16.2 million from the Department of Environment to cover damages from the January storm including € 8.2 million from the OPW for repairs to coastal defences – but have yet to receive any allocation following the devastating St Bridget’s Day storm in February.
The council have written to the OPW and the Department of Envi ronment on numerous occasions over the last seven months, informing them that it is not possible to develop an effective programme to facilitate spending all the money allocated for coastal repairs and coastal defences in a reasonable and balanced manner until a decision has been made on the February allocation.
It took the government 39 days to allocate money in relation to the January storms but, as of today, September 23, 235 days have passed since the equally destructive February storms with no allocation forthcoming.
This delay has resulted in a situation where the OPW is warning the council that it is about to lose millions of euro in vital funding. The Clare People understands the OPW is fully aware that the council cannot spend this money.
Speaking last week County Manager, Tom Coughlan, says he has explained the situation to the OPW on numerous occasions but they “don’t seem to get it”.