Waterford is to receive more than €5.5 million to repair regional and local roads damaged during Storm Chandra earlier this year.

The allocation forms as part of a €40 million funding package announced by the Department of Transport to help local authorities restore roads and bridges affected by the severe weather event.

Storm Chandra, which struck in the end January, caused widespread damage to road infrastructure across the country. Assessments carried out in March found around 130 roads required complete reconstruction, while more than 440 others suffered significant damage. A number of bridges were also impacted.

The Department says the additional funding will allow the worst affected local authorities to carry out essential repair works and restore their road networks.

Transport Minister Darragh O’Brien says the Government is committed to helping councils repair damage caused by increasingly frequent extreme weather events and maintain safe road infrastructure.

Waterford’s allocation amounts to a total of €5.53 million. The allocations for the other counties are listed below:

Minister of State and Waterford TD John Cummins welcomed the funding, saying it would allow essential repairs to proceed following the extensive damage caused by the storm. He also acknowledged the work carried out by Waterford City and County Council staff, emergency services and volunteers during and after the severe weather.

The funding will be administered through Waterford City and County Council, which will oversee the repair and restoration works on affected regional and local roads across the county.