Its emerged there's a shortfall of over €1,000,000 in government funding for Waterford Council for the cost of the clean up in the wake of Storm Ophelia
Significant damage was done to infrastructure and over two thousand trees were felled across the county when the ex hurricane hit last October.
However, so far, just over €500,000 has been received by Waterford Council - one million less than hoped for.
Director of Service for Roads, Water and the Environment Fergus Galvin told the plenary council meeting that funding had been allocated out of the Department of the Environment's emergency funds for the cost of the immediate clean-up which was just over 500 thousand. The funds outstanding concern longer term infrastructural damage:
"The second component was just over one million euro in long term structural damage. There's about 40 items ranging from damage to harbours, piers, coastal infrastructure, damage to road surfaces, bridges... ranging from €5,000 worth of damage in some places to over €20,000 in others".
Mr Galvin says the Council will have to deal with each relevant department to receive funding for the destruction.
"We are going to have to apply to the Department of Transport, Transport Infrastructure Ireland, the Department of the Marine in respect of coastal infrastructure, to the OPW, to the Department of the Environmnet and we're in the process of doing that. We're hoping that over the next year or two we will get some additional funding to allow us to pick up some of the long term structural damage."
